7,600 years – that is how old is the oldest known archaeological remains of the famed ground nut and was found in Peru. They grow best in light sandy loam soil and improve soil fertility, hence usually grown in rotation with other crops.

Ground nuts are more often known as peanuts. The main edible part or the seed (in scientific terms: cotyledon) of the peanut is found within an inedible outer covering (known as the shell) which is usually in contact with dirt. China, India, Nigeria, United States and Sudan are the major producers of peanuts with China holding the leading place in total world’s production. India leads the race in total exports of peanuts.

Peanuts are very widely used as food, as animal-feed as well as in industries. In food, peanut-oil is widely used as an edible cooking medium whilst peanut flour, boiled peanuts and dry roasted peanuts are used directly as food. There are several food dishes across the globe that utilise peanut as the main ingredient.