In Gujarat, crop yield is estimated to decrease by 22.18% due to 10.52% reduction in groundnut planted area during the 2022-2023 Caliphate season. Groundnuts are he one of the major crops of the Kharif season.
The Solvent Extractors Association (SEA) of India has released the ‘SEA Groundnut Kharif Crop Survey 2022’, providing details on Gujarat, a prominent groundnut growing state.
Citing Gujarat government statistics mentioned in the research report, the area of groundnut crops sown during the 2022-23 Kharif season was 17.09 lah hectares (lh ), a decrease of 10.52%.
BV Mehta, Executive Director of the India SEA, believes this is due to changes in planted areas from peanuts to cotton, soybeans and other crops.
Gujarat is expected to harvest 30 million tonnes (lt) of groundnut during the 2022-23 kharif season compared to 38.55 lt in 2021-22, a decrease of 22.18 per cent. Typical yield over the last 5 years is around 30 lt. He said last year had a record harvest compared to the previous year.
Average yield per hectare decreased to 1,755 kg per hectare during Kharif 2022-23 compared to 2,020 kg per hectare in 2021-22, a decrease of 13.12%. Mehta said excessive rainfall, flooding and drought in August affected yields.
The Minimum Support Price (MSP) for groundnut is Rs 5,850/quintal. According to him, Mandi’s high quality (FAQ) groundnuts are priced at Rs 6,000-6,300 per quintal and low quality Rs 5,000-5,600 per quintal. “Mandy prices are likely to drop further in the next few days with a large number of arrivals,” he said.
Whole surface seeding
The country’s overall peanut sowing is down 9.81%, mainly due to the region’s shift to other crops such as cotton and soybeans, but 49.44 lh in the current halif season compared to 49.44 lh in the last halif season. reported as 44.59 lh.
The major states producing groundnuts are Gujarat (17.09 lh), Rajasthan (7.90 lh), Andhra Pradesh (5.47 lh), Madhya Pradesh (4.50 lh), Karnataka (3.73 lh) and Tamil Nadu (2.28 lh). is.
survey team
According to Mehta, the SEA Groundnut Promotion Council has been conducting groundnut surveys for the past 13 years to assess groundnut size and quality for the benefit of stakeholders.
A team of 19 members, led by Vinod Patel and Rajesh Ankola, visited a major groundnut producing area in Saurashtra from 14-16 October this year.
We visited many farms in the Saurashtra district and randomly sampled the fields. Many parameters such as number of pods, size and distance between crops, maturity and quality were investigated.
By applying a scientific matrix, the team arrived at an estimate of peanut production.
methodology
The team collected a variety of information from each farmer they visited to arrive at yield and crop size. They include the number of “bigas” on the land, the time of sowing and the amount of rainfall during the season.
We also collected information on the type of irrigation system used and the number of water cycles provided to the crops. Weather conditions during sowing time and growing season were also considered.
The team investigated insect infestations and the measures taken to control them. They also considered the farmers’ yields and the surrounding field estimates.
The team looked at planted area compared to the previous year and planting data released by the Gujarat government.
The main estimated area that determined yield was the number of pods placed in a guaranteed area after picking from the field and the opinion of the farmer.
The SEA team also met with refiners, solvent extractors, traders, commission agents and brokers at various locations in Saurashtra. He said harvest prospects, their expectations and other details were discussed at such meetings.
