Market Demand

Demand for peanuts has been steady in North America and Europe. Two significant factors affecting peanuts in the world market are (1) consumer concerns for nutritious foods and (2) stricter import standards for food safety and quality.

The World Market

World peanut production totals approximately 23 million MT. India and China are among the largest producers of peanuts, accounting for approximately 2/3 of total world production. The majority of their production is consumed internally, particularly crushed for oil use. Total exports of peanuts top 1.5 million MT, with the largest market being Europe. Among the other major importing countries are Indonesia, Canada and Japan.

The US is one of the world's leading edible peanut exporters, with an average annual export of approximately 240,000 MT. Argentina, China and India are also major suppliers to the world market. Share of world exports varies based on crop conditions and internal market demand. Changing weather patterns, infrastructure improvements, seed varieties - all are factors which influence a market which increasingly demands innovation and quality (at a reasonable price).