EVEN AS the Gujarat government has ordered a survey to take stock of damages suffered by farmers owing to heavy unseasonal rain around Diwali, a primary estimate suggested that it has caused damage in more than 42 lakh hectare (ha) agriculture land in more than 16000 villages in the state, Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani said on Wednesday.Vaghani emphasised that the government would announce a relief package “at the earliest.” He was interacting with mediapersons while providing details about starting procurement of groundnut, soybean, moong and black beans at minimum support price (MSP) from November 9. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel made an announcement in this regard on Wednesday.In view of the unseasonal rain causing widespread damage to standing crops, the state government has ordered a survey of damages sustained by farmers across the state.Asked about the reports the government has got from the survey teams and the quantum of damage, Vaghani said, “As per a primary estimate, large-scale damage has been done in more than 42 lakh hectare (land) in more than 16,000 villages.”The area of agricultural land that has suffered damages comes to around 42 per cent of the total operational land holdings in the state, if compared to the data of Agriculture Census 2015-16 for Gujarat state. As per the Agriculture Census of 2015-16 for Gujarat state, the total operational land holding of Gujarat is 99.77 lakh hectare.On October 31, following the unseasonal rains, Gujarat government had postponed the procurement of groundnut, soybean, moong and black beans at minimum support price. The procurement was scheduled to start for November 1.Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in a post on X on Wednesday, said, “When standing crops of farmers have been damaged owing to unexpected calamity of unseasonal rains, the government is committed to stand by them while becoming their strength through financial assistance. The government has decided to procure groundnut, soybean, moong and black beans produced by farmers at minimum support price.”Story continues below this ad“Under that, the procurement will be started from November 9. In this situation of natural calamity, the government is concerned about the financial welfare of farming families and the entire system is sincerely at work with a sensitivity that no farmer family faces any difficulty,” the CM added in the post.As per an official release, procurement of groundnut, moong, black beans and soybean will be done at the rate of Rs 7,263 per quintal, Rs 8,768 per quintal, Rs 7,800 per quintal and Rs 5,328 per quintal respectively.The procurement will be done at more than 300 notified procurement centers.Quoting Vaghani, the release said the MSPs for the current year have been increased significantly under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, if compared to the rates of the last year.Story continues below this adIt also added that considering the huge production of groundnut this year, the government has decided to procure 125 mann (1 mann=20 kg) from every farmer as per the rules of procurement.Asked whether any relaxation in quality of the agriculture produce will be given to farmers during procurement at MSP since crops have sustained damages owing to unseasonal rains, Vaghani said that the procurement will be done as per rules and the damages caused will be covered under the relief package to be announced by the state government.Quoting Vaghani, the release also said that planning has been done to procure groundnut, moong, black beans and soybean worth Rs 15,000 crore this year from the farmers of Gujarat under the Pradhanmantri Annadata Aay Sarnkshan Abhiyan scheme.When asked about the opposition Congress’s announcement to start Kisan Akrosh Yatra from Saurashtra from Thursday while demanding farm loan waiver, Vaghani said, “We have never seen such (difficult) days (for farmers) before. I do not want to do politics. When it is time to do politics, we will certainly talk accordingly. Right now, it is time to stand by the farmers and to do such talk that does not affect their morale.”