Abstract

The fruits of the tropical to sub-tropical annual plant Arachis hypogea" are popularly called the "Groundnuts!! or. "Earthnuts" as the nuts mature under the ground surface. The kernels inside the pods resemble peas and hence are also termed as "peanuts".". There is yet another name for this, as "Monkey nuts" since monkeys in zoos, are fed by the spectators with these nuts. This last name has really assumed more signi- ficance of late, because of the rapid fluctuations in the prices of the same. The prices are as varying and erratic as the actions of a monkey. The month-war prices of groundnuts in North Arcot district are given in statement I appended, from 1935 onwards. A glance at the figures reveals that the trend of groundnut prices for the past twenty years has been a story by itself, full of interest and excitement.

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