Peanuts grow best in warm climates with plenty of sunshine, high humidity, and well-drained, light soils. They are primarily cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. Global peanut growing regions include:
- Asia: India and China are the largest producers, together accounting for more than half of the world's peanut production. Other countries include Indonesia, Pakistan, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
- Africa: Nigeria leads peanut production, with other significant producers like Senegal, Sudan, Mali, Ethiopia, South Africa, Malawi, and Guinea.
- South America: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru are key producers.
- North America: The United States is a major producer, particularly in the "Peanut Belt" states such as Georgia (which grows about 42% of U.S. peanuts), Texas, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Virginia, Oklahoma, and New Mexico
In the U.S., peanuts are grown mainly in three regions:
- Southeast Region (Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas) - mostly medium-kernel Runner peanuts.
- Southwest Region (Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico) - Spanish, Runner, Valencia, and some Virginia types.
- Virginia-Carolina Region (Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina) - large-kernel Virginia type peanuts
Peanuts require a frost-free growing season of about 120 to 150 days with soil temperatures above 20°C (68°F) and humidity of at least 50%. They grow underground as pods develop from flowers that peg into the soil
. In summary, peanuts grow in warm, sunny, and humid climates with well- drained soils, mainly across Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Australia, with India, China, and the U.S. being some of the top producers globally
