Ahmedabad, April 20 (Commodities Control): The Gujarat market awaits the arrival of the summer groundnut harvest, with expectations of a potential yield increase due to an expanded sowing area. While current arrivals are limited to perishable goods, exporters anticipate regular supplies to commence by the end of May.
Though the season's first arrivals, primarily from Gondal and Rajkot, are currently restricted to perishable varieties, new summer groundnuts have begun trickling in from Mahuva and Talaja. However, regular market arrivals are not expected for another fortnight.
Agricultural data from Gujarat indicates an 11% increase in the sowing area for summer groundnuts compared to the previous year. This expansion, from 53,725 hectares to 59,887 hectares, has fuelled optimism for a larger harvest. Market experts in Rajkot predict a potential yield of 22-25 mounds per bigha (approximately 1.3 acres) under favourable weather conditions. This translates to a projected production range of 1.20 to 1.25 lakh tonnes (120,000 to 125,000 tonnes).
Current trading in Gondal and Rajkot mandis (wholesale markets) focuses on limited quantities. Today's arrivals stood at around 9,541 sacks (35 kg each) in Gondal and 12,000 bags in Rajkot. Prices remained stable due to subdued demand, with average quality fetching Rs 1181-1326 per 20 kg and best quality commanding Rs 1211-1321 per 20 kg in Gondal. Rajkot witnessed similar pricing, with average quality ranging from Rs 1130-1248 per 20 kg and best quality reaching Rs 1100 1353 per 20 kg.
Market participants anticipate a busier trading period later in May as summer groundnut arrivals stabilize. This potential production increase, coupled with arrivals from other regions like Bengal and Maharashtra, is likely to impact market dynamics in the coming weeks.