Abstract

The groundnut crop in Madras occupied, in 1932- 33, about 9 per cent. of the total cultivated area. Madras has the dis- tinction of being the biggest producer of groundnuts not only in India, but also in the world. The average area under the groundnut in Madras is 33 lakhs of acres for the period 1928-29 to 1932-33. During the same period, the exports of groundnuts from Madras Ports averaged to 4'96 lakhs of tons valued at 955 crores of rupees. Through the exports of groundnuts, the people in Madras obtained, on an average, Rs. 2 per head of population. Taking the average yield per acre as 7 cwt. of kernels and assuming that the market value is 25 per cent. less than the export price, the average production in Madras is worth about 16 crores of rupees, or equivalent to the budget amount for the Madras Government for a year.

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