Well-drained soils are needed although the crop can also grow well in clay soils. Just like maize, groundnut is an early season crop hence it must be grown at the onset of rains. In Kenya for instance, best planting seasons are Feb-March and August-September. Groundnut varieties differ from size, colour and shape.
How do ground nuts grow in Kenya?
Groundnuts require a long warm growing season with a well-distributed rainfall during the growing season. The plant grows best when the temperature is from 21-26.5°C and with a dry weather of about a month before harvesting. For good yields, the soil pH should be between 6.0-6.5.
How do groundnuts grow?
The peanut plant is unusual because it flowers above ground but the peanut grows below ground. Planted in the early spring, the peanut grows best in calcium rich sandy soil. … The peanuts are pulled from the ground by special machinery and turned over to dry in the fields for several days.
Where do peanuts grow in Kenya?
In Kenya, peanuts are referred to us groundnuts and locally called “Njugu Karanga” (Swahili). Groundnuts are mainly grown in western Kenya by small scale farmers both for food and sale. These areas have a tropical climate suitable for farming.
How long do groundnuts take to grow?
The improved Serenut varieties 5T and 6R mature early taking approximately 90 – 100 days while Serenut 8R, 9T, 11T and 14R mature between 100 – 110 days. It is important to dig the hole 6cm deep for efficient germination.
What is the best fertilizer for groundnut?
Among the available nitrogenous fertilizers, ammonium sulphate is preferred for groundnut crop because of its sulphur content (24%). It can be used in both rainfed and irrigated conditions. In top-dressing also, it can be used before irrigation or after irrigation at the time of proper soil condition.
How many bags of groundnuts make an acre?
An acre produces between 3-8 bags and takes three months to harvest. Manipinta is the large variety and is preferred because of the high yields.
Is it legal to grow peanuts?
The laws don’t allow farmers to grow and sell peanuts to fellow Americans unless they own a Federal license, very few of which have been issued since the early 1940’s. The system also makes it impossible for most farmers to enrich their soil by planting peanuts along with their other crops.
How many peanuts will one plant produce?
Each plant produces between 25 and 50 peanuts. Mature plants may be as large as 36 inches in diameter and about 18 inches tall. The peanut plant has a fruiting period of about two months.
What is the difference between groundnuts and peanuts?
The main difference between Groundnut and Peanut is that the Groundnut is a Wikipedia disambiguation page and Peanut is a species of plant. The peanut, also known as the groundnut, goober, or monkey nut (UK), and taxonomically classified as Arachis hypogaea, is a legume crop grown mainly for its edible seeds.
How much is groundnut in Kenya?
Kenya peanut (groundnuts) wholesale price
The average price per ton/tonne is US$ 1,010 in Mombasa and Nairobi. The price in KES is 9.2718. Kenya’s import price for peanut (groundnuts) in 2019 was US$1.85 per kilo.
How profitable is peanut farming?
For the past few years, peanut yields on the Miller farm have averaged 2.7 to 3.2 tons per acre. In mid-January, the USDA reported average peanut prices were nearly $425 per ton. “It may not be as many acres, but peanuts are second on our priority list behind cotton,” he said. “I wish we’d done it sooner.
How do you take care of groundnuts?
Peanut plants need plenty of water from the time they begin to bloom until the pegs have all completely burrowed into the soil. Look for your first flowers to appear somewhere between 25 and 40 days after planting. From blooming until harvest, take care to not let your peanut plant dry out.
What is the best time to plant groundnuts?
The period July to end of September has a long term average rainfall of only 32 mm. At this time moisture in the soil is limiting, so in order to plant groundnuts in October, 45 mm of additional water is required. The average rainfall for October is 46 mm and planting in October is possible.
What is the best month to plant peanuts?
Spring Planting
Out of all the planting times sufficient for peanut growth, the springtime is the best period for the most successful plant growth. Planting in April, May and June allows the peanut plant to acclimate to the cool spring weather before summer’s heat strikes the area.
In which season does groundnut grow?
The kharif season accounts for about 85 percent of the total. The kharif crop is typically planted in late June and harvested in late October, and grown primarily in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra. The rabi crop is planted from late October through January and harvested in April.