Peanuts

Peanut, also known as groundnut (Arachis hypogaea), is a crop of global significance. It is widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions, playing a crucial role for both smallholder farmers and large commercial producers. Peanuts are classified as both a grain legume and an oil crop due to their high oil content. Global annual production is approximately 46 million tonnes, with China contributing 37%, Africa 25%, India 21%, and the Americas 8%. In Africa, peanut production surpasses that of all other grain legumes combined, making it an essential source of protein, energy, and iron.

As a member of the Fabaceae family (also known as Leguminosae or the bean family), peanuts are legumes that harbor nitrogen-fixing bacteria in their root nodules. This ability to fix nitrogen reduces the need for fertilizers and enhances soil fertility, making peanuts valuable in crop rotations. The high protein content of peanuts is also a result of this nitrogen fixation. The peanut plant is an annual herbaceous plant that grows 30 to 50 cm (1.0 to 1.6 ft) tall. Its leaves are opposite and pinnate with four leaflets (two opposite pairs without a terminal leaflet); each leaflet ranges from 1 to 7 cm long and 1 to 3 cm wide. Like many other legumes, peanut leaves exhibit nyctinastic movements, closing at night.

Unlike tree nuts like walnuts and almonds, peanuts grow underground, alongside beans and peas, as part of the Leguminosae family. Interestingly, the peanut plant flowers above ground, but the fruit develops below ground. The entire growth cycle, from planting to harvest, takes 4 to 5 months, depending on the variety. Peanuts are ready for harvest between 85 and 130 days after sowing, and pods can be harvested either by hand or mechanically. After harvest, the pods are sun-dried for 2–10 days until their moisture content reaches about 10%.

Peanuts are widely used in India, primarily for producing seed oil, hence the alternate name ‘groundnuts.’ They are readily available year-round and throughout India. Peanuts play several important roles globally. A significant portion of the annual peanut harvest is pressed to yield peanut oil, a pale yellow, neutrally flavored oil with a very high smoke point, making it ideal for frying. This oil is widely used in many countries for cooking. Additionally, peanuts are ground into peanut butter, a creamy spread popular with all age groups. Peanuts are also sold whole, to be eaten plain, sprinkled onto food, or included in various dishes.

Most commercially grown peanuts are processed for their oil, with the byproduct, a pressed cake, used as animal feed and in the production of peanut flour. Raw kernels are often roasted and enjoyed as a snack. Peanuts are the major oilseed crop in India, accounting for around 25% of the country’s oilseed production, with an annual output of 5-8 million tons. However, production is highly sensitive to rainfall variations, leading to significant fluctuations between years. Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra are the major peanut-producing states.

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