Market sources told The Indian Express that oil millers have declared their support to the farmers. They added that farmers in Kodinar, Savar Kundla, Amreli, Kalavad, Jamnagar, Bagasara and Junagadh have also supported the agitation.

Rajkot market yard chairman Shamji Khunt said the decision to stop the auction was taken at a meeting of representatives of the Saurashtra market committees and farmers' leaders.

However, Gondal market yard chairman Ramesh Dhaduk has, in a separate statement, said Gondal will not join the agitation and that auctions will continue as usual.

``We have not supported the movement started under the leadership of Shamji Khunt, as this agitation is against the interest of farmers. At present, farmers aregetting a higher price for groundnut but once the restrictions are removed, there will be open competition and prices will come down, as the outlook for the groundnut crop is very good here,'' he said.

In reply to a question on the Gondal market yard, Khunt said although the Gondal market yard chairman or its representatives had not attended the September 13 meeting, Dhaduk gave a written assurance they would agree to whatever decision was taken at the meeting. ``He changed his stance later,'' said Khunt.

Khunt also alleged that the government had appointed the Gondal market yard chairman as president of the Agriculture Products Market Board, and therefore, he had now changed his attitude.

Khunt also claimed that farmers' leaders in Gondal's rural areas had assured him of support, adding they would persuade farmers not to move groundnuts to the Gondal yard, and hence prevent auctioning.

On the other hand, Gondal market yard vice-chairman Kanaksinh Jadeja, Batukbhai Savalia and others have appealed tothe farmers to not be influenced by those supporting the strike. They are asking farmers to bring as much groundnut as possible to the yard and earn profits.

At present, the new arrival of groundnut is gaining momentum: about one lakh bags of groundnut are brought to each of the yards in Saurashtra. The strike, if it works, may hamper the arrivals, and may push up the price of the commodity.

Oil mills that have not begun crushing for this season, will do so from Dhanteras, when there will be a great demand for groundnut. The strike could push up the price, given such a situation.

Farmers, too, want cash for Diwali, and are trying to sell whatever groundnut stocks they have.