The groundnut production in Gujarat which is a major crop growing state of the country is expected to decline by 61% to 6.95 lakh tonnes this year, as per the report compiled by the Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA). This decline in groundnut production is on account of the delayed and deficient monsoon rains in Gujarat.
In 2011, Gujarat had produced 17.75 lakh tonnes of the important cash crop and the overall crop is reduced to nearly one-third at 6.95 lakh tonnes compared to 17.75 lakh tonnes in 2011-12.
During kharif season around 12.24 lakh hectares was covered under groundnut crop where sowing had taken place. However, due to rain deficit along with wrong reporting and also uprooting area after sowing, the harvested area is now down by nearly 25% at 9.16 lakh hectares.
The quality of groundnut as well as the crop is seriously affected due to failure of monsoon and as most of the districts received very less rain. The average yield per hectare has reduced to 760 kg per hectare in 2012 against 1,238 kg per hectare last year.
