Introduction :
Groundnut is the major oilseed crop in India accounting for 45% of oilseed area and 55% of oilseed production in the country. Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is believed to be the native of Brazil to Peru, Argentina and Ghana, from where it was introduced into Jamaica, Cuba and other West Indies islands. It was introduced into India during the first half of the sixteenth century from one of the Pacific islands of China, where it was introduced earlier from either Central America or South America. Now India along with china accounts for half of the world's groundnut production.

Its Importance in Indian Economy is as follows:

• Groundnut can withstand drought and is suitable for dry land farming.

• It is a soil erosion resistant crop and being a legume crop, it can fix the atmospheric Nitrogen and thereby improve the soil fertility.

• It provides a good green manure for succeeding crop.

• Its shell, skin, hulm and hey are all good for fodder.

• Groundnut cake is chief oil-cake feed to animals and it is also used in manure.

• The plant stalks are fed to cattle in the form of green, dried and silage.

GROWING AREA:
The major groundnut-producing countries of the world are India, China, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, Burma and the USA. At present US, Argentina and China are world's largest suppliers of edible peanuts. India and South Africa are only minor players.

India occupies the 3rd position, both in regard to the area and the production, in the world. About 7.5 million hectares is put under it annually and the production is about 5-6 million Tonnes. 70% of the area and 75% of the production are concentrated in the four states of Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Orissa have irrigated area forms about 6% of the total groundnut area in India.

Grown in tropical and subtropical areas, peanut thrives between 25-28ºC and ca. 500-mm rainfall in open soil. Following are the Indian regions with plenty of peanut production: Eastern Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Saurashtra region in Gujarat, West Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu.

Cropping Season:
Groundnut is raised mostly as a rain fed kharif crop, being sown from May to June, Depending on the monsoon rains. In some areas or where the monsoon is delayed, it is sown as late as August or early September. As an irrigated crop it is grown to limited between January and March and between May and July.

SOWING AND HARVESTING SEASONS OF GROUNDNUT IN MAJOR GROWING STATES:

LOCAL NAMES:

USES:
Groundnut is an important crop both for oil and food. The main use of groundnut is as a source of edible oil, but the high oil and protein contents also make it an important food crop.

Groundnut shell is used as fuel for manufacturing coarse boards, cork substitutes etc. Groundnut is also of value as rotation crop. Being a legume with root nodules, it can synthesize atmospheric nitrogen and therefore improve soil fertility.

• Groundnut Oil : The oil content of the seed varies from 44 to 50 per cent, depending on the varieties and agronomic conditions. Groundnut oil is an edible oil. It finds extensive use as a cooking medium both as refined oil and Vanaspati Ghee. It is also used in soap making, and manufacturing cosmetics and lubricants, olein stearin and their salts. Kernels are also eaten raw, roasted or sweetened. They are rich in protein and vitamins A, B and some members of B2 group.
   

• Groundnut Cake : Groundnut extraction is a very good vegetable protein for poultry feed and can be used up to the level of 25%. In the year 2002 India's position was second after China in producing Groundnut Meal in the world.

DEMAND-SUPPLY:

• Production: Though the share of groundnut in the total oilseeds production in India has been falling since the 1950s when it was 70 per cent to the present level of 33 per cent, groundnut is still a major oilseed crop in India. Its production decides not only the price of groundnut oil in any year but also the prices of most other oils. The most probable reason behind the recent decrease in grount nut production in India is non-availability of sufficient irrigated water. Since during the last decade monsoon behavior in India was erratic, so naturally it affects production.
   

• Export: India was an important exporter of Groundnut and its products till the seventies. In eighties our country exports a remarkable quantity of Groundnuts and Groundnut cake. The higher Aflatoxin load in groundnut kernels and de-oiled cakes has seriously jeopardized the export earning recently, thereby depriving the country of valuable foreign exchange. Moreover, due to the pressure of increasing domestic demand domestic price level also rises and it lacks price competitiveness in international market.

Production and Export of Groundnut from India*

PRICE:
Price trend of Groundnut pods & Oil in India clearly shows that the main producing states i.e. Andhra pradesh & Gujarat prices are going in conformity to the local demand and supply. Whereas the prices from U.P. & W.B. are independently moving upwards throughout the time span.

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