Farmers in Gujarat to Witness 40 Percent Increase in Summer Groundnut Crop

Gujarat is likely to witness 40 percent rise in groundnut production to over 84,000 MT as compared to around 60,000 MT last year, according to the advanced estimate of state agriculture department. 

Farmers in Saurashtra and North Gujarat region are heavily banking on groundnut crop due to excellent monsoon, according to the official statement, further adding that as a result of it, cultivation area of the crop has also increased from 27,840 hectare to 33,920 hectare. 

There has been good demand for groundnut from oil mills as well as exporters over the past couple of months, as well as the availability of water. Encouraged by the trend, farmers have opted for groundnut this year, as per Shri Samir Shah, President of Saurashtra Oil Millers Association (SOMA).

The production of oilseed sesame (Til) is estimated to have doubled compared to previous year from 11,650 MT to almost 24,500 MT, which indicates a 110 percent increase apart from the groundnut. This year, sowing of sesame has gone up to 29,440 hectare from last season’s 17,620 hectares. 

Another important crop, mung also witnessed a downward trend as production during the current season is projected to have declined to 20,200 MT from 28,080 MT in 2018-19, a decrease of 28 percent. 

Advance estimate of rice is also encouraging as production is set to increase from 92,620 MT to 1,30,690 MT. Sowing area of the crop in the state has also augmented from 29,580 hectare to 43,620 hectare due to availability of irrigation water. 

Production of maize is also projected to increase by 87 percent to 6,460 MT in 2018-19 from 12,140 MT in 2019-20. 

In case of bajara, production is estimated to have fallen by 7 percent from 6.64 lakh MT to 6.17 lakh MT as sowing of the crop has declined from 2,28,040 hectare to 2,26,820 hectare as farmers switched to other crops.