As many as 873 farmers have committed suicide in the State since January 2009, the Legislative Assembly was informed on Friday.

In a written reply to K Gopalaiah (JD-S), Agriculture Minister Krishna Byregowda stated that families of 443 farmers have been paid compensation of Rs one lakh each. The minister stated that inability to repay agricultural loan was one of the reasons for the farmers to commit suicide.

The Agriculture department has taken several steps to prevent farmers’ suicide include providing seeds and agricultural inputs at subsidised rates, training farmers on new agricultural technologies, disbursing crop loan at low rate of interest, besides crop loan waiver for farmers.

In another written reply to Gopalaiah, Byregowda stated that as many as 878 farmers from the State were sent on foreign trips since 2009. The farmers visited China and Israel. A total of Rs 5.96 crore was spent on the trips, he said.