About 800 years ago, a very healthy and nutritious dry fruit came under excessive cultivation in the valleys of Paraguay, that dry fruit is now known as Peanut and ground nut to most of us. It is the delight of each winter and the season seems incomplete without a little treat of peanuts every once in a while. It is a very rich source of peanut oil and is also used in many other food products like in cakes or other confectionery items. Whenever you nourish yourself with this dry fruit, you take in a complete diet containing Vitamin B and E, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous and other dietary fibers. The most widely used form of peanuts all over the world is the peanut butter, taken in every other home these days, as this is highly nutritious for children especially. It is also used in candies. Chocolate bars and peanut cookies.
TOP TEN BIGGEST PRODUCERS OF PEANUTS- COUNTRIES THAT PRODUCE MOST PEANUTS
The world is blessed with quite some countries which produce peanuts in great amount. China being on top among all of them. Other top ten countries that produce ample amount of peanuts per annum are discussed below. These countries are the major exporters of peanuts worldwide and are greatly famous for good quality peanuts and variety in its forms. Their annual peanut production is estimated in metric tons.
10. GHANA
The country located in West Africa, Ghana is the land of groundnuts. Their annual production is far more than the area this country has occupied. Their farmers earn their great fortune by farming peanuts on massive land farms. The country annually produces around 0.4 million metric tons of peanuts. The warm and temperate climate of the state greatly support the peanut production. The northern area of Ghana is seen to produce more peanuts than any other region of the country.
9. SENEGAL
Senegal is a country not known by many of us but regarding its peanut production, it stands on the top ten list. Annually the country approximately produces 0.6 metric tons of peanuts. This land is so enriched with minerals and has the most suitable climatic conditions for groundnuts production that big companies have established their peanut businesses in the country. Today, peanut production accounts for 40 percent of the total agricultural output of the country hence it has the major share in the country’s economy and revenue generation.
8. CHAD
Peanut is one of the most important crops in the country, and still after the failure of many commercial scale projects, the country manages to produce about 0.8 million metric tons of groundnuts. Throughout the history of Chad, country’s agricultural foundation lies greatly in peanut production. The local farmers earn handsome amount of money through selling these through international trade routes to other countries.
7. ARGENTINA
Argentina is famous for its amazing Golden peanuts which are exported in large amount to other nations. More than 35000 hectares of land is used for farming peanuts in the country. Many companies including Olega, Sol Argentina and Olam Argentina has expanded their business empire entirely through good quality Argentinian peanuts. The annual production of peanuts in the country is approximately about 1.1 million metric tons.
6. INDONESIA
Indonesia is one of the major peanut producing country in the whole of Asia. The recent figures revealed that the production of groundnuts in the country has now reached to 1.9 million metric tons per year. Indonesia produces almost the 4 % of the total peanut production in the world. In a country like Indonesia, peanuts are most widely used to extract peanut oil which is also exported around the world.
5. BURMA
In spite of the instability of the country’s political and economic conditions, Burma stands 5th in the groundnuts production because of the heavy production it has been showing for a number of years. According to recent estimates, it produces 2 million metric tons of peanuts each year. The whole country is said to be powered by peanut production. The country is still yet to explore and exploit many of its land areas to put them best in use for peanut production.
4. NIGERIA
Northern Nigeria has produced the significant amount of groundnuts in the recent years. Its temperate climate is most suitable for the groundnuts production. The country has reached to the production rate of 3.8 million metric tons per year. Kano, Taraba, Bauchi and Bornu are the major areas which account for 85% of the total peanut production of the country.
3. USA
There is a sum of 13 states in the country that shares the major peanut cultivation including Texas, Alabama, Virginia, Florida, North Carolina and Oklahoma. This region has approximately 25000 farmers that are working to produce 99 % of the total groundnuts for the country. The annual production of the country is expected to increase from 4.1 million metric tons of peanuts.
2. INDIA
India has vast stretches of land which is most suitable for farming and cultivation; it is an agricultural land with hot and sub-tropical climate which accounts for the 2nd highest peanut production in the world. It produces about 6.8 million metric tons of peanuts per year. 21 % of the total peanut production of the world is produced by India. Moreover, it also produces 25 % of the total peanut oil of the world.
1. CHINA
Since 2006 China has been the major peanut producer in the world. The country produces about 18.7 million metric tons of peanuts. The cultivation is mainly focused in Southern and Northern parts of China. The great variety of the top crop is most produced in the provinces like Jiangsu, Shandon, Hebei, Guangdong and Henan, these alone accounts for the 50% of the total production.
LIST OF BIGGEST PEANUT PRODUCING COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD
| Rank Country | Production (Million Metric Tons) |
| 1. China | 18.7 |
| 2. India | 6.8 |
| 3. USA | 4.1 |
| 4. Nigeria | 3.8 |
| 5. Burma | 2.0 |
| 6. Indonesia | 1.9 |
| 7. Argentina | 1.1 |
| 8. Chad | 0.8 |
| 9. Senegal | 0.6 |
| 10. Ghana | 0.4 |
