RAJKOT: Nearly 28,000 bags (each of 35 kg) of
groundnut worth Rs 4.41 crore procured at a
minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 900 per 20 kg by government were gutted in a
massive fire which broke out on Sunday late night near a
warehouse of Shapar-Veraval in Gondal taluka of Rajkot district.
This is the fourth incident of blaze in groundnut warehouse in last four months.
The smoke is still billowing out from the warehouse even after 15 hours, a fire official said.
Fire brigade teams from Rajkot, Gondal, Jasdan, Dhoraji and Jetpur are engaged to control the blaze.
Rajkot district collector Rahul Gupta told TOI that, “The cause of fire is still unknown, police is investigating, and nearly 28,000 bags gutted in fire. The stock was procured at MSP this year from Jamnagar district.”
The warehouse, where the incident occurred, was hired on rent by
NAFAED, (National Agriculture Cooperative Marketing Federation of India LTD) the agency was responsible for procurement of groundnut at MSP.
This year because of election, government has procured nearly 9 lakh ton groundnut from farmers at MSP Rs 900 per 20 KG while market price was Rs 650 to 800. Government is facing challenges in selling of the stock in market while huge stock is gutted in fire in last four months in Gandhdidham of Kutch, Gondal of Rajkot and Hapa of Jamnagar.
In a massive fire in a rented warehouse of Umvada cross road in Gondal in the end of January this year nearly 7,000 tons of groundnut worth Rs 31.5 crore was gutted in fire. The opposition congress is blaming malpractice in procurement.
