Murdered by Monsanto?

Last night 5 more cotton farmers committed suicide in Maharashtra's cotton growing region of Vidarbha, taking the total to 443 farmers in the growing season since June 2005.

The majority grew Bt cotton which was promoted to poor farmers in India using false and misleading claims as well as unethical practices. (see EVERY TRICK IN THE BOOK - THE MARKETING OF BT COTTON IN INDIA)
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=5741

Just how disastrous Bt cotton proved for Vidarbha's desperate farmers was revealed by a recent study in Maharashtra which showed the incomes of Bt cotton farmers were 68% lower than the incomes of non-Bt cotton growers.
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=6444

Meanwhile, a statutory body investigating charges of monopoly practices filed against Mahyco-Monsanto has found the company guilty of illegal practices and found that the monopolistic and exorbitant rates charged by the company for their Bt cotton varieties was a significant factor in farmer distress.
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=6435

Here are the names of the more than 200 farmers in Vidharba who have taken their lives since the beginning of January 2006. As many again suffered a similar fate in the period from June 2005. As already noted, the vast majority of the victims cultivated Bt cotton.
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List of Vidarbha Farmer suicides since JANUARY 2006
Taken from a list provided by Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti

Name of Farmers

Sahebrao Bhimrao Wankhede

Nandkumar Watane

Chabutai Shrikrushna Nikhade

Madhukar Shriram Shikare

Ramkrushna Sheku Meshram

Mangesh Ambadas Sable

Bhimrao natthuji Bophade

Lonkaran Tukundrao Dongre

Suresh Pandharinath Nagre

Pandit Raibhan Umbarkar

Dayal Raghoji Badkal

Manohar Sampat Pawde

Rama Namaji Kshirsagar

Baldeo Atmaram Warkhade

Gajanan Aknath Jawjal

Ramesh Devidas Jadhav

Kamalabai Chavhan

Devicharan Jagnnath Gaikwad

Ramrao Pancham Patil

Ashok Yashavant Gujjar

Vijay Bhaurao Tekam

Kisan Ganapat Akde

Sunanda Babarao Engole

Yamuna Ramdas Ade

Subhash Shankarrao Shevtkar

Babulal Savalya Bhilawekar

Mahadeo Nakathe

Rambhau Marotrao Shahade

Ramdas Saduji Patil

Sakharam Kashiram Kukare

Anandrao laxman Motghare

Dadarao Bhoyar

Shrirang Surybhan Meshram

Sheshrao lalji Rathod

Hemanth Vishwath Bhasme

Manoj manohar Waghamare

sudam Gopalrao Kandalkar

Sahebrao Mohod

Babarao Natthuji Sable

Vilas Narayan Dhale

Raju Vasantrao Nakhate

Panjabrao Khute

Ajabrao Atmaram Gavande

Baliram Govindrao Kutemare

Pravin Raut

Bhavsing Mithya jadhav

Nanaji Sitaram Batte

Yamunabai umale

Laxman Dattuji Adhav

Dnyneshwar Laxman Bhendare

Raju Vishwash Vidhate

Tulshiram Pandurang Marotkar

Pralhad Laxman Kirtane

Ramdas rajaram Gillari

Bablu Girdhari Brahmankar

nilesh Vishwasrao Nagmothe

Gulsing Ramdhan Rathod

Namdev Amarsing Rathod

Bala Arjun Wasekar

Sudhakar Mahadeo Chaudhari

Nagorao Dupare

Ashok Jadhav

Bhumanna Iranna Annamwar

Mohan Harising Rathod

Govind Narayan Landge

Ganesh Jayram Nikame

Pochu Bira Chittawar

Ambadas Jagan Mundale

Kamalabai Mansing Solanki

Dilip Bhimrao Bambal

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