Gujarat to Harvest a Record-Breaking Groundnut Crop This Year, Says SEA

Gujarat, the main producer of the oilseed, produced 38.55 lakh tonnes of groundnuts, up 8.74 percent from the previous year, according to industry body Solvent Extractors' Association (SEA) of India. 

The crop survey was carried out by a SEA team led by GG Patel, convener of, SEA Oilseed Crop Estimate Committee, according to a statement from SEA. 

"During the current Kharif season, Gujarat is anticipated to harvest a record groundnut crop of 38.55 lakh tonnes, up 8.74 percent over the 35.45 lakh tonnes harvested the previous year. The increase in output is mostly attributable to normal to high rainfall in August and September, as well as the absence of major crop damage, according to a statement from SEA. 

The first sowing cycle took place in the second week of June this year. “However, there was a rain shortage in July that lasted until mid-August, doing havoc on the standing crop.”Better rainfall in the second part of August, along with heavy rainfall in September and early October, shifted the picture to near-normal," according to SEA. 

The acreage planted to Kharif groundnut in Gujarat has decreased by 1.55 lakh hectares. "As a result of the shift in acreage from groundnut to soybean and other crops, the area seeded has reduced to 19.10 lakh hectare from 20.65 lakh hectare last year." Yields have increased to 2020 kilograms per hectare, up from 1715 kilograms per hectare the previous year, thanks to adequate rain and no severe damage, as per SEA. 

The Gujarat government has planned to buy groundnut in shell for Rs.5550 per quintal, with a maximum amount of 2.5 tonnes per farmer. 

About SEA 

The Solvent Extractors' Association of India was founded in 1963 with the goal of assisting and encouraging the development and expansion of the Indian solvent extraction industry. The Association now has 875 members, including around 350 operational solvent extraction units with a total annual capacity of over 30 million tonnes of oilcake/oilseed processing.