Junagadh Agriculture University (JAU) has estimated 10 per cent higher groundnut sowing in current kharif season as compared to last year.
According to university research report farmers possibly divert from cotton crop to groundnut as they received good return in groundnut last year.
"During last year farmers had received good return for groundnut and it will encourage farmers to switch over to groundnut crop from cotton crop. As per our estimates groundnut sowing in this kharif season will increase by 10 per cent to around 1.6 million hectares," said MG Dhandhalya Assistant Research Scientist, JAU.
The research team of Department of Agricultural Economics, Junagadh Agricultural University has analysed that due to groundnut production in Gujarat lower than expected in 2011-12 and increase in export demand owing to decrease in value of rupees against American dollar, the groundnut price raised from Rs 800 per 20 kg in January 2012 to Rs 1,000 per 20 kg in May 2012. The area under groundnut is expected to increase about 10 per cent over last year in Gujarat and in the country.
At presently groundnut price is stood at Rs 750-950 per 20 kg. According to Indian Oilseed and Produce Export Promotion Council (IOPEPC) during 20011-12, India had exported around 600,000 tonnes groundnut. Previous year it was about 450,000 tonnes.
During 2011-12 in Gujarat, the area under groundnut crop was estimated to be about 1.43 million hectares and production about 1.9 million tonnes. Also, the area under summer season is estimated to be about 187,000 hectares in Gujarat.
The econometric analysis of groundnut price and in consultation with DEMIC, TNAU, Coimbatore, it is revealed that the prices of groundnut bold (pods) during October to December, 2012 may hover between Rs 800 to 900 per 20 kg and the groundnut small (pods) in the range of Rs 750 to 850 per 20 kg.
