AGED 4713 FALL 2002 9/24/02 JW
INTERNATIONAL VISITOR
Genus, Family & Specie Genus: Arachis Family: Leguminosae Specie: hypogaea A tropical American vine, Arachis hypogaea, widely cultivated in semitropical regions, with yellow flowers on stalks which bend over so that the seed pods ripen underground.
Plant Characteristics Warm Season Annual Legume Yellow pea-like flower Flower opens at dawn Peduncle elongates into a stalk like stem called a “Peg” Seeds/Nuts ripen underground in pods Grows in well drained sandy soils
U.S. Consumption Americans consume approx. 600 Million Lbs. Of Peanuts Annually 700 Million Lbs. Of Peanut Butter Annually
Market Types Virginias Runners Spanish Valencia
World Production Asia & Africa produce 85% of the world’s peanut production (19 to 25 million tons) Leading Peanut Producing Countries: India, China, United States, Sudan, Senegal & Indonesia
U.S. Peanut Production Georgia Alabama North Carolina Texas Virginia Oklahoma U.S. Producers harvest approx. 3.4 Billion Lbs. Annually
Oklahoma Peanut Production Caddo Beckham Harmon Greer Washita
Food Products Peanut Butter Ice Cream Vegetable Peanut Bread Roasted Peanuts
Livestock Feed Meal Hay
Peanut Products Paint Soap Shaving Cream Face Powder Plastics Wall Board Nitroglycerin
Origin South America – Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and the area around the head waters of the Amazon River.