In a meeting, called by the Saurashtra-Kutch Union of Agriculture Produce Committees, they appealed to farmers not to bring groundnut to the markets, and to the oil millers to suspend crushing. It was decided to hold a farmers' convention at Rajkot, tentatively on November 29, to display their solidarity and chalk out an agitational programme.

The mood at the meeting was aggressive and speakers were unanimous on the need for launching an agitation to force the state government ``see reason''. Suggestions for action included organising `village bandh' and `direct action'. A few even talked for demanding a separate Saurashtra state, saying the region was not getting justice.

Finally, all agreed to form an umbrella organisation of farmers of Saurashtra and Kutch. Rajkot marketing yard chairman Shamjibhai Khoont was authorised to constitute a committee to work out out the details.

Former Union minister Manubhai Kotadia, who was the main speaker, told the gathering that their efforts to have the restrictions removed had ended in a deadlock despite a meeting with the Chief Minister. ``Keshubhai might be sympathetic to farmers, but people in his party and the government would not agree,'' he said.

Kotadia said the government was eager to make groundnut oil cheap for consumers.``But will the government give farmers get cheap fertiliser because Gujarat produced 36 per cent of the country's fertilisers? "Will the farmers of Saurashtra get cheap cement from the plants located in the area? Will they get cheap petrol and diesel?'' Kotadia argued.

Virjibhai Thummar, former MLA from Babra, who is also a director with Kunkawav Taluka Kharid-Vechan Sangh, argued for challenging the restrictions in the high court, but other speakers rejected the suggestion, saying that the court case would take a lot of time. Raghavji Patel, a former minister, said if the government wanted to supply cheap groundnut oil to consumers, it should invest in creating a buffer stock of the commodity.

Vitthal Radaida, MLA and Chairman of the Rajkot District Cooperative Bank, asked the farmers to prepare for a long struggle, and said his bank had put aside Rs 100 crores for advancing to farmers against their stocks. Criticising the cabinet sub-committee, which had been appointed to examine the issue, Radaida said some of its members knew nothing about farming.