While Mysuru proper is an urban center, it is the heart of a highly fertile agricultural district fed by the Kaveri and Kabini rivers. The surrounding rural economy is heavily agrarian.
Major crops cultivated in the Mysuru district include paddy (rice), ragi (finger millet), sugarcane, cotton, and tobacco. The region is also known for sericulture (silk farming), which directly supplies the city's silk weaving factories. Horticulture thrives here, with farmers growing bananas, coconuts, and a variety of vegetables. Government initiatives and agricultural research institutes in the city continue to promote modern farming techniques and sustainable agricultural practices.