Getting to grips with groundnut production

Groundnuts are a high-value, versatile, and sustainable crop cultivated and consumed worldwide. Requiring less water and fertiliser than many other crops, they are ideal for crop rotation, writes Linda Piegl.

- Linda Piegl

Groundnuts originate from South America and are believed to have been introduced to South Africa by Portuguese mariners. The cultivar at the time was the Natal-Common, and early settlers in KwaZulu-Natal went on to conduct the first cultivar trials in the mid-1800s.

Today, the crop is grown mainly in the Free State, North West, and Northern Cape. Groundnuts are also produced to a lesser extent in Limpopo, while in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and the Mpumalanga Lowveld, smallholder groundnut production contributes to food security and livelihoods through incentives offered by processors and other large companies.

Groundnuts have high nutritional value as they are rich in plant-based protein and are a source of healthy fats, fibre, vitamins, and essential minerals, making them an important crop for supporting food security. Requiring minimal processing, they are used in a diverse range of products for human consumption, animal feed, and industrial purposes. While South Africa is not a leading groundnut exporter, its groundnuts are highly regarded in international markets for their superior quality.

In terms of cultivation, groundnuts are a water-efficient crop due to their compactness and taproot system, and they improve soil quality and fertility by enriching it with nitrogen and organic matter. They also make an excellent rotation crop.

According to the Agricultural Research Council’s Grain Crops Institute (ARC-GCI), groundnuts can improve the yield of subsequent maize and other grain crops by up to 20%.

“One of the best crop rotation systems is one in which a grass fallow is followed by groundnuts,” it says.

Groundnuts are also regarded as a low-waste crop, as nearly every part of the plant can be utilised.

Even the vines can be used as organic fertiliser or high-protein hay for horses, while the hulls are repurposed as biofuel feedstock or included in compost.

CULTIVAR CHOICE