Groundnut
Sow in November, harvest around March
Sowing time is now.
Grown on 2,013 acres here. Sold at 5 mandis in your district.
Only with irrigation: rain gives too little of its water to count on
- Doesn't suit: Too dry without irrigation
- Suits: Ideal temperatures
- Needs care: Soil 7/10
Why, and how to make it work Hide details
Water
Too dry to grow on rain alone. It would need irrigation.
Needs about 410 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain in its months gives about 110 mm it can use in a normal year (30 mm in a dry one), and the soil holds about 50 mm from the monsoon at sowing.
Temperature
Grows best at 22–32 °C on average, and survives 10–45 °C.
Here, in its growing months (day / night):
- Nov 29 °C / 21 °C
- Dec 29 °C / 19 °C
- Jan 30 °C / 19 °C
- Feb 32 °C / 20 °C
Soil
Soil for Groundnut: 7 out of 10 (okay).
Not in the score: manganese.
- 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 14 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).
Rain gives it too little of the water it needs, so there's no income figure on rain alone: grow it only with irrigation.
Mandi price at last season's harvest (March–April 2026): about ₹6,250 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).
Minimum support price: ₹7,517 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹8,750 2021
- ₹8,030 2022
- ₹10,490 2023
- ₹8,400 2024
- ₹6,500 2025
Prices are usually best in August.
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.
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Short of zinc Your soil is likely short of zinc.
Mix 10 kg of zinc sulphate per acre into the soil before sowing. One dose lasts two or three seasons.
Few local farmers add it to this crop, so it's an easy place to get ahead.
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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.
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Short of boron Your soil is likely short of boron.
Mix 4 kg of borax per acre into the soil before sowing.
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):
- Muriate of Potash (MOP) 34%
- Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) 23%
- Urea 18%
- Potassium Sulphate 5%