Why Import Peanuts from India: A Complete Buyer's Guide

If you supply snack manufacturers, oil mills, peanut-butter brands or the retail trade, India deserves a place on your shortlist of sourcing countries. India consistently ranks among the top global producers of groundnut, and the crop is concentrated in Gujarat — the same region Overseas calls home. That proximity to farms and processing units means fresher stock, better grading and sharper prices for you.

Why India for peanuts?

• Scale and availability: Large, reliable production across two cropping seasons means year-round supply.
• Variety: Bold/Runner, Java, TJ and Spanish types cover snacking, oil and confectionery uses.
• Value: Direct farm sourcing keeps landed costs competitive against other origins.
• Processing maturity: Sortex colour-sorting, blanching and splitting are widely available.

Know your varieties

Choosing the right variety is the single biggest decision you'll make. The most commonly exported Indian types are:

• Bold / Runner: Rounder, larger kernels — popular for snacking and roasting.
• Java (TJ): Elongated kernels with a sweet taste — favoured for confectionery and peanut butter.
• Spanish: Smaller, high-oil kernels — used for oil extraction and certain snack formats.

Grades and counts

Peanut kernels are sold by "count" — the number of kernels per ounce. Lower counts mean bigger kernels. Common export counts include 38/42, 40/50, 50/60, 60/70, 70/80 and 80/90. Tell your supplier the count you need; if you're unsure, describe the end use and let them recommend.

Quality factors that matter

The two things that get peanut shipments rejected are aflatoxin and moisture. Get these right and most other issues are easy to manage.

• Aflatoxin: A naturally occurring toxin. Reputable exporters lab-test and can supply to your destination's limits (e.g. EU limits are strict). Always confirm the limit your market requires.
• Moisture: Typically targeted around 7–8% to prevent spoilage in transit.
• Foreign matter & damage: Sortex cleaning and machine grading keep these low.
• Admixture & splits: Specify acceptable limits for broken/split kernels.

Packing and loading

Peanuts are commonly packed in 25 or 50 kg PP or jute bags, or in vacuum packs for premium kernels. A standard 20ft container typically carries a substantial tonnage depending on packing — your supplier will confirm exact loadability. For longer voyages, ask about moisture barriers and container desiccants.

Documentation you'll need

Expect a commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, and a phytosanitary certificate for the agricultural goods. Many buyers also request a lab/quality certificate (including aflatoxin results). See our import documentation checklist for the full list.

Ordering from Overseas

At Overseas, we supply export-grade Indian peanuts — raw in-shell, kernels, blanched and split — sortex-cleaned and tested to your market's standards. Send us your variety, count, quantity and destination, and we'll come back with a quote and sample within one business day.