Ahmedabad: Gujarat’s groundnut farmers are getting impatient with the state government especially as unseasonal rains have impacted the groundnut crop this year. Almost 9.31 lakh farmers have registered on the e-samruddhi portal for the purchase of groundnuts at the Minimum Support Price (MSP). The deadline for the same lapsed on September 15. Still, the government hasn’t announced its procurement plans, even as farmers wait anxiously for updates, with an estimated 66 lakh metric tonnes of groundnuts on offer this year.
Last year, the state bought 12 lakh tonnes of groundnuts at MSP. Farmer bodies, including the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), are demanding that at least the same level of procurement is done this year to ensure farmers don’t face financial distress. The delay in procurement has been compounded by the unseasonal heavy rains lashing Saurashtra and South Gujarat, with traders unwilling to buy rain-soaked groundnuts, worsening farmers’ woes.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department, rainfall is expected to continue this year, with several parts of Gujarat experiencing thunderstorms and strong winds.
The inordinate delay by the state government has forced the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh to send a letter to the Chief Minister and Agriculture Minister, demanding an urgent update, especially as the farmers continue to expect an update from the government soon.
Gujarat is India’s leading groundnut producer, accounting for almost 40% of the total groundnut acreage at 19.17 lakh hectares under cultivation. This year, the government has announced a rate of Rs.7,263 per quintal as MSP. According to the agricultural price portal Commodity Online, the average price for groundnuts is Rs.4867.75 per quintal in various mandis across Gujarat as of September 30. As per a report by the Agricultural Market Intelligence Centre, PJTAU, the groundnut prices have been declining due to lower export demand in April 2025.
For the farmers in Gujarat, getting their prices at MSP would be crucial, as the market conditions are relatively weak as of now.
