Groundnut
Sow in July, harvest around November
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
Grown on 66,816 acres here. Sold at 8 mandis in your district.
₹33,000–₹50,000
per acre a season, before costs
At typical costs, from a loss of ₹7,000 to a profit of ₹10,000 an acre a season
- Needs care: Risky: 5 irrigations short
- Suits: Ideal temperatures
- Needs care: Soil 7/10
Why, and how to make it work Hide details
Water
Rain falls about 5 irrigations (5 cm each) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.
Needs about 480 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 230 mm it can use in a normal year, and 150 mm in a dry year.
Temperature
Grows best at 22–32 °C on average, and survives 10–45 °C.
Here, in its growing months (day / night):
- Jul 34 °C / 24 °C
- Aug 34 °C / 24 °C
- Sep 34 °C / 24 °C
- Oct 33 °C / 24 °C
Soil
Soil for Groundnut: 7 out of 10 (okay).
- The pH here suits it.
- Low nitrogen matters less: it makes its own.
- Many fields here are short of sulphur, which it needs a lot.
- Many fields here are short of boron, which it needs a lot.
- Most fields here are short of organic carbon.
Likes pH 5.5–6.5.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 7.2 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).
Mandi price at last season's harvest (November–December 2025): about ₹5,750 a quintal at mandis in your district.
This week: about ₹6,375 a quintal, the middle of 4 mandis in your state (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would leave about ₹6,000 a season after typical costs.
Minimum support price: ₹7,517 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹9,000 2021
- ₹9,190 2022
- ₹7,230 2023
- ₹7,200 2024
- ₹6,000 2025
Prices are usually best in January.
Typical costs are about ₹40,000 an acre (seed, fertiliser, labour and hired machines, from the government's cost survey). They are spent whatever the harvest.
How to make it work
The better districts with similar soil, rain and warmth get 10 quintals an acre. That's a realistic target.
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Short of organic carbon Your soil is likely short of organic carbon.
Add 4 tonnes of compost or farmyard manure per acre before sowing, and plough crop leftovers back in instead of burning them.
Few local farmers add it to this crop, so it's an easy place to get ahead.
-
Short of iron Your soil is likely short of iron.
Spray ferrous sulphate, 5 g per litre of water, when young leaves turn yellow.
Few local farmers add it to this crop, so it's an easy place to get ahead.
What local farmers put on it (share of fields):
- Urea 16%
- Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) 11%
- Muriate of Potash (MOP) 9%
- Single Super Phosphate (SSP) 6%