Debt, low crop price push two farmers to suicide

KALABURAGI/ DAVANAGERE: Heavy debts and falling crop prices claimed the lives of two farmers in Yadgir and Davanagere districts in the past two days. While cotton farmer Paramanna Talavar, 48, consumed poison on Friday night, maize grower Basavarajappa, 55, who had poisoned himself on June 20, died on Saturday morning.
Chief minister Siddaramaiah appealed to farmers not to take this extreme step and ordered officials to take strict action against exploitative moneylenders."The government is concerned about the agony and financial crises of every farmer. Suicide is not the solution," he said.
Falling cotton prices forced Paramanna Talavar, to end his life at Mudanur village in Shorapur taluk of Yadgir district, though he had grown cotton on six acres. Talavar's wife noticed that he had consumed pesticide and rushed him to hospital, but he breathed his last on the way. He had taken a loan of Rs 3 lakh from a bank and Rs 5 lakh from private moneylenders.
In Lakkamuttena Halli in Davanagere rural police limits, Basavarajappa, had reportedly borrowed over Rs 3.5 lakh from cooperative banks and some private parties. He had grown maize on two acres of land and the standing crop reportedly failed. He had suffered similar losses last year, and failed to get minimum support price for his crop, his family said. Under pressure from debtors, he drank poison in his field on June 20.