BENGALURU, 12 APRIL

Karnataka’s three districts - Bidar, Kalaburagi, and Yadgir - saw 383 farmer suicides in the last five years, according to the Agricultural Department data. What is pushing the farmers to the brink? It’s a lethal combination of severe drought, crop failure, falling crop prices, and overwhelming debt.

In 2023, the State experienced its worst drought in 123 years — 223 of 236 taluks were declared disaster-hit and 48 lakh hectares of crops were damaged. This resulted in a loss of Rs 35,162 crore.

Kalaburagi, known as the "tur bowl of Karnataka", saw 151 farmer suicides since 2023. From April 2023 to March 2024, alone, it saw 88 suicides amid severe drought. The toll decreased to 63 in April 2024 to March 2025, but the situation remains dire. Of the total number of suicides, 108 are eligible for compensation in the district.

Farmers have criticised the government's lack of action. Ningappa Karadi, a farmer from Shahapur, told Salar News, “I grew 60-70 quintals of chilli on my 4-acre land. But the market price has fallen to just Rs 6,000- Rs 8,000 per quintal from Rs 15,000. I made a profit of Rs 4 lakh. I owe Rs 6 lakh in loans. Even if I pay it back, I’ll still owe Rs 2 lakh. If the government doesn’t ensure fair prices for our crops, suicides will only increase.”

In 2024-25, Kalaburagi cultivated 6.22 lakh hectares of tur dal, surpassing the target by 2 per cent. However, nearly 2 lakh hectares faced crop failure due to dry spells and dry root rot disease. Other crops such as bajra, sugarcane, groundnut, and cotton also suffered extensive damage, with 1.82 lakh hectares of crop loss.

“Farmers, who primarily cultivate crops such as pigeon pea, green gram, black gram, sorghum, cotton, and groundnut, are struggling as they often take loans for seeds, fertilisers, and labour, but when crops fail, the accumulated interest on loans becomes unmanageable. Despite government schemes aimed at supporting agriculture, these measures have failed to prevent farmer suicides,” a farmer leader said on the condition of anonymity.

Yadgir, too, has been severely hit, with 100 suicides in the last two years. In 2023-24, 70 farmers took their lives, followed by another 30 in 2024-25. The district was hit by drought and bouts of excessive rainfall, crippling agriculture.

Bidar too is witness to a large number of farmer suicides. The district saw 131 suicides since 2020. The year April 2023-March 2024 saw the highest toll in the district, with 75 farmers taking their own lives, mainly due to the drought that ravaged crops. Shockingly, 32 of these suicides were from Bhalki, the hardest-hit region as crops were destroyed after heavy unseasonal rains. As of April 2024, to 2025, Bhalki has already reported seven more suicides.

On 28 January, 2025, two farmers killed themselves in a single day. One of them was a 21-year-old from Khanapur village in Bhalki. He had taken a loan of Rs 4 lakh to invest in his crops. However, due to poor yield, he was unable to pay his debt. This inability to clear debts is the very reason why farmers kill themselves.

What adds salt to the wounds is the delay in the disbursement of compensation to the families of the deceased. However, the Department of Agriculture has dismissed these claims. Joint Agriculture Director Ziaullah Khan told Salar News, "Compensation has been distributed to all the families of farmers who died by suicide in 2023-24. Of the 21 cases reported in Bidar 2024-25, compensation has been given to 14 families."

Khan said families of farmers who die by suicide are entitled to a ₹5 lakh compensation, along with widow pensions, healthcare, education, and housing support.

Samad Patel, Joint Director of Agriculture, told Salar News that while suicides have decreased by 30 per cent from 88 in 2023 to 63 in 2024, the financial distress remains overwhelming. "The financial strain and debt burden continue to lead many farmers to take their own lives despite the government’s efforts," Patel said.

To tide over the crisis, Kalaburagi District In-charge Minister Priyank Kharge announced a relief package of Rs 667.73 crore on 25 March for 2,36,933 farmers who suffered crop loss during the kharif season. He claimed it was the largest-ever relief package for the district.

In Yadgir, heavy rainfall and floods damaged crops on at least 4 lakh hectares in 2024. Yadgir, which received 736 mm of rainfall in 2024 (a 2 per cent surplus), saw losses, particularly in commercial crops such as paddy, cotton, and chilli. Despite these challenges, the Agriculture Department had set a target of 84,500 hectares for tur cultivation in 2024, leading to heavy financial strain.

Mallikarjun Satyampete, Vice President of the Karnataka State Farmers’ Association, decried the lack of genuine political will to address farmers' concerns. “Before elections, all parties promise to help farmers, but once in power, they forget about us. Laws like the Swaminathan Commission Report must be implemented,” he said, adding that despite the Minimum Support Price (MSP) guarantee, farmers are still struggling. The Swaminathan Commission recommends ways to improve the productivity and profitability of farmers and suggests ways to ensure food security and rural credit.

In 2024, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said the government would pay Rs 3,000 each to 16 lakh small and marginal farming families to compensate them for losses due to drought.
Salar News

Taluk-wise breakdown in Yadgir

During 2023–24, Yadgir reported 70 farmer suicides, distributed across its taluks as follows:

Shahapur :21

Vadagera: 12

Surapura :20

Hunasagi:15

Yadgir: 1

Gurumitkal: 1

No of deaths in Bidar

What is dry root rot disease?
Dry root rot is a plant disease caused mainly by a fungus called Rhizoctonia bataticola. It affects the roots of crops like chickpea, cotton, and groundnut, especially in hot and dry conditions. The disease starts with the yellowing and wilting of leaves. As it progresses, the roots turn dark, brittle, and dry, making it hard for the plant to absorb water and nutrients. Eventually, the plant dries up and dies, even if the soil has enough moisture. Poor soil health and drought stress make the problem worse. Managing the disease involves crop rotation, using resistant varieties, and improving soil moisture and health.