Groundnut
Groundnut or peanut is not a widely cultivated crop of Himachal Pradesh. However in recent years, some farmers in the areas adjoining the states of Punjab and Haryana in the foot-hills of Una, Nalagarh and Paonta valley have taken up the cultivation of this crop. The total area under this crop is roughly 500 hectares with production of 665 tonnes (1997-98). This crop is very specific in its soil and climatic requirements. A warm and dry climate with fairly distributed rainfall in July and August provides conducive conditions for raising a good groundnut crop. Groundnut being a legume crop, can be best raised in rotation with cereals like wheat and barley. |