Archive · 4 Nov 2025
Unseasonal Rains Devastate Gujarat Crops, Farmers Demand Debt Waiver
Imagine a farmer named Jayesh who grows peanuts.
His peanuts were almost ready to be picked, but then it rained a lot unexpectedly.
This rain ruined his entire crop, and he lost a lot of money.
This happened to farmers all over Gujarat, with almost all parts of the state experiencing these bad rains.
The government is trying to figure out exactly how much was lost by sending people to look at the farms.
They are also talking to the farmers to understand their problems.
Some farmers feel that just getting some money back from the government isn't enough and they need help with the money they owe for farming, like a loan.
The government has promised to help and is working quickly to survey the damage.
Unseasonal rains have damaged crops in over 90% of Gujarat's talukas, impacting more than 16,000 villages.
A farmer, Jayesh Barad, reported an estimated loss of over Rs 8 lakh due to damage to his groundnut and soybean crops.
The Gujarat government is conducting surveys to assess losses on approximately 10 lakh hectares of agricultural land.
The procurement of kharif crops like moong, soybean, and groundnut, which was scheduled to start on November 1, has been postponed.
Farmers are demanding a farm debt waiver, stating that relief packages alone will not suffice to address their losses.
- Who
- Farmers in Gujarat, including Jayesh Barad
- What
- Unseasonal rains caused widespread crop damage, leading to significant financial losses for farmers.
- When
- Around October 25, with prior unseasonal rains also impacting crops before Navratri and continuing into November.
- Where
- Gujarat, specifically affecting over 90% of its talukas, with visits to affected villages in Junagadh and Gir Somnath districts.
- Why
- Unseasonal rainfall destroyed crops that were ready for harvest, causing an economic crisis for farmers.
Farmers
Government Stance
Adequacy of Relief
Farmers
Farmers, especially small ones, argue that a mere relief package is insufficient and demand a farm debt waiver for the current year to overcome catastrophic losses.
Government Stance
The government has assured farmers of a generous relief package soon after the completion of loss surveys and is committed to helping them recover from their losses.
Survey Methodology
Farmers
While not directly stated, the suspension of digital surveys suggests farmers may have felt they did not accurately capture their losses.
Government Stance
The government initially launched a digital survey but suspended it due to difficulties in accurately assessing losses, directing officials to conduct physical surveys instead.
- Affected Talukas
- 249 (over 90% of Gujarat)
- Affected Villages
- Over 16,000
- Estimated Land Impacted
- 10 lakh hectares
- Primary Damaged Crops
- Groundnut, Soybean, Moong, Blackbeans
- Survey Teams Deployed
- Over 4800
- Chief Minister's Visit
- Junagadh and Gir Somnath districts