Although India and China are the world 's largest producers of peanuts, they account for a small part of international trade because most of their production is consumed domestically as peanut oil. Exports of peanuts from India and China are equivalent to less than 4% of world trade.
The nut gained Western popularity when it came to the United States from Africa. It had become popular in Africa after being brought there from Brazil by the Portuguese around 1800.
The major producers/exporters of peanuts are the United States, Argentina, Sudan, Senegal, and Brazil. These five countries account for 71% of total world exports. In recent years, the United States has been the leading exporter of peanuts. The major peanut importers are the European Union (EU), Canada, and Japan. These three areas account for 78% of the world 's imports. The peanut is one of the most protected cash crops in the world.
Peanuts were designated by the U.S. Congress to be one of America’s basic crops. In order to protect domestic industry by keeping prices artificially high, the United States Department of Agriculture conducts a Program for Peanuts. The Price Support Program consists of a two-tier price support system that is tied to a maximum weight quota. Domestic peanuts produced subject to the weight quota are supported at the higher of two prices, while peanuts over quota or those
Cited: Weede, Erich. "Globalization and Inequality." Comparative Sociology 7.4 (Nov. 2008): 415-433. Gordon, John Steele. "In the Spaghetti Bowl." Commentary 126.3 (Oct. 2008): 65-66. Miller, Michael. “Who’s Afraid of Free Trade?” Action Institute (Oct. 2007) http://www.acton.org/commentary/commentary408.php Goodman, Michael K. "Reading fair trade: political ecological imaginary and the moral economy of fair trade foods." Political Geography 23.7 (Sep. 2004): 891-915. Goldsmith, James. “The Trap” Carroll & Graf, New York 1994. Stiglitz, Joseph E. "Fair Trade." National Interest May 2008: "Fair enough." Economist 378.8471 (Apr. 2006): 33-33. http://www.soyatech.com/peanut_facts.htm http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/press_office/press_releases_and_statements/september_2008/commercial_conference_16_september_2008.aspx