Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
I. INTRODUCTION
Peanut (
Arachis hypogaea
L., Fabaceae) or groundnut is widely grown
in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions of the world.
Globally, the 5-year average (2006
-
2010) cultivation of this crop was
10
6
t and
on
23 million ha, with a total yearly production of 36.6
×
∼
1.57 t ha
1
yield (FAO 2012). Sixty-
ve percent of peanut production
10
6
t), 26% from Africa (9.6
10
6
t), and 8%
originates from Asia (23.8
×
×
10
6
t), with only 1% from Oceania and Europe. In
comparison with the previous 5-year period (2001
from America (3
×
2005), average pea-
nut production increased by 9% in Africa and 8% in America, whereas
Asia registered a decline in peanut production by 1.6%. The Oceania
region during the same period registered a substantial decline of 34% in
peanut production. The increases in peanut production in Africa were
mainly due to increase in area (
-
12%), whereas the peanut crop area
in the American continent declined by 5% but the production increased
by
∼
14%.
Changes in the peanut economy were also noted among the major
producers within each region. For example, peanut production in India
declined on average by 5%during the last 5-year period, whereas peanut
production during the same period in China and Indonesia declined by
1% and 2%, respectively. Although India registered
∼
5% increase in
productivity in the last 5 years, the area declined by 10%. For China, the
average area declined by 14%, but the country also experienced
∼
14%
∼
increase in peanut productivity, thus only
1% decline in production.
Peanut production in Myanmar and Vietnam during the same period
increased by 45% and 18%, respectively. The large increases in peanut
production inMyanmar were due to substantial increases in peanut crop
area (27%) and productivity (
∼
15%). Vietnam also experienced an
increase in peanut productivity by 21%, but area declined by 2.5%.
Similar changes were also noted in major peanut-producing countries
in Africa. For example, increased peanut production (60
∼
89%) in
Cameroon, Mali, and Malawi from 2006 to 2010 (vis-à-vis 2001
-
-
2005)
was due to an increase in acreage (16
56%).
Peanut production in Ghana increased by 14% largely due to increased
productivity (21%), whereas increases in peanut production in Tanzania
(21%) and Niger (75%) were largely due to substantial increases in
acreage (43% in Tanzania and 70% in Niger). In the American con-
tinents, Argentina, Brazil, and the United States are the largest peanut
producers. The average production in the last 5 years increased subs-
tantially in Argentina (62%) and Brazil (18%), which was largely due to
an increased productivity (51% in Argentina and 19% in Brazil). Peanut
-
44%) and productivity (12
-
