The protest against the controversial ‘Kadda Pratha’ system, which began at the Botad Marketing Yard, has now spread across Saurashtra, sparking widespread unrest among farmers and prompting the state government to stay on high alert.
What started as a local issue in Botad has quickly expanded to Surendranagar, Rajkot, and Amreli districts, with tensions rising ahead of a major farmers’ Mahapanchayat scheduled on October 31 in Sudamda village, Surendranagar.
At the core of the agitation is the Kadda Pratha—a decades-old system in APMCs where traders allegedly manipulate auctions to buy crops like cotton and groundnut at low prices. Under this method, a “Kaddo” (a pile of a farmer’s produce) is inspected and auctioned, but farmers claim that traders form cartels, fix prices in advance, and deny them fair value.
Due to this practice, farmers reportedly lose over ₹500 crore every year. Government procurement has also been marred by delays and mismanagement, leaving middlemen free to profit.
The first major protest in Botad turned violent after talks with police failed, leading to stone pelting, damage to police vehicles, and the detention of over 60 protesters.
As the agitation gains momentum across Saurashtra, the government has announced an agricultural package to calm tensions. However, farmers remain firm on their main demand — a complete abolition of the Kadda system.
Officials fear that if the unrest continues, it may spill into the political sphere and impact upcoming local and municipal elections. The October 31 Mahapanchayat is now being seen as a crucial moment in the farmers’ growing movement for fair trade and justice.