Peanut or groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) is a species in the legume or "bean" - (Fabaceae) family. The peanut was probably first domesticated and cultivated in the valleys of Paraguay. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing 30 to 50 cm (1.0 to 1.6 ft) tall.
India is the second-largest producer of groundnuts in the world. Indian groundnuts are available in different varieties: Bold or Runner, Java or Spanish and Red Natal. The main Groundnut varieties produced in India are Kadiri-2, Kadiri-3, BG-1, BG-2, Kuber, GAUG-1, GAUG-10, PG-1, T-28, T-64, Chandra, Chitra, Kaushal, Parkash, Amber, etc.
They have a rich nutty flavour, sweet taste, crunchy texture and over and above a relatively long shelf life. Soil conditions in some producing regions are ideally suited for dry, clean and spotless Groundnuts in Shell.
Groundnut is the major oil seed crop in India, and it plays a major role in bridging the vegetable oil deficit in the country. Groundnuts in India are available throughout the year due to a two-crop cycle harvested in March and October. Ground Nuts are important protein crops in India grown mostly under rain-fed conditions. According to Upag, India produced 86.75 lakh tonnes of groundnut in year 2023-2024.
Areas of Cultivation:
Major growing states are Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, and Uttar Pradesh.
Exports:
The country has exported as follows:
| Export Volume FY24 (MT) | Exports FY24 (USD Mil) | |
| Groundnut | 680,698.61 | 860.68 |
Major Exporting Destinations (2023-2024):Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand.