2024-09-19 23:06:41
Deep Singh, Lucknow: Peanuts, which were called the almond of the poor, are now becoming a profitable deal for the farmers of UP. This is the reason why they are sowing it in large quantities. Last year, farmers had sown 178% of the government target. This year this area has increased by more than 200%. The reason for this is that the cost of peanut cultivation is low and the crop is giving more profit. At the same time, oilseed crops are available at low cost in the Rabi season.
Last year, the government had set a target of sowing peanuts in 1,25,000 hectares in UP. Farmers had sown peanuts in 2,23,685 hectares. This year, the government has set this target at 1,32,000 hectares, but farmers have sown peanuts in 2,69,399 hectares. The special thing is that earlier peanuts were cultivated only in some areas including Lakhimpur and Sitapur in Bundelkhand and Lucknow division. Now there is no area where peanuts have not been sown, but the largest area still belongs to Jhansi division of Bundelkhand.
too much oil
The important advantage of peanuts is that it contains more oil than mustard. Kasganj farmer Sanjay Prajapati says that peanuts contain 44% oil, while mustard contains only 32%. Regarding this, farmer leader Harinam Verma says that farmers who cultivate peanuts also take three crops in a year. After digging potatoes, they sow maize. After that, in July, after the maize crop, peanuts are sown. After digging it till November, the field is again ready for potatoes.
What is the mathematics of cost and profit?
Mustard is the main oilseed crop in the Rabi season, which farmers have been cultivating traditionally. It has low cost and high profit. If we compare peanuts and mustard, the profit in peanuts is more than that in mustard. The cost of both mustard and peanuts in one bigha comes to about Rs 4,500.
Talking about profit, even if mustard is sold at the support price, the farmer gets a price of Rs 5,650/quintal. On the other hand, peanuts with shell are sold for Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,000/quintal. Peanuts without shell are sold for Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000/quintal. Another reason for peanuts getting high prices is that people eat it and its oil is also sold. Abhishek, a big oil trader in Lucknow’s Rakabganj Mandi, says that while mustard oil is Rs 150/kg, the price of peanut oil is more than Rs 200/kg.