The Indian Oilseeds and Produce Export Promotion Council (IOPEPC) has estimated summer groundnut production in Gujarat to be at around 121,000 tonnes as against 220,000 tonnes last year, registering a 45 per cent decline.
The survey report stated that because of water scarcity in the Saurashtra region, farmers have shifted to other crops like pulses, sugarcane.
The report also shows that summer groundnut sowing area has came down by 50 per cent to 53,520 hectares. Add to that, the average yield has decreased by 30-40 per cent to 2,262 kg per hectare in Gujarat.
“Since last few years, groundnut sowing area is coming down as farmers face the problem of scarce water. They are forced to shift to other crops like pulses, sugarcane and others,” said Nilesh Vira, chairman, IOPEPC.
According to Vira, exports of groundnut have also declined as farmers in Gujarat are unable to match importers’ criteria in terms of quality. “Export demand has fallen 25 per cent in recent times in European countries,” he added.
Meanwhile, N C Patel, vice chancellor of JAU said, “We have to educate farmers in providing better quality in farming. So much research work is conducted but hardly any results out of it is conveyed to the farmers. On its part, JAU is working to provide any kind of support in this area.”