A guide to peanut production in Queensland 

Peanuts have traditionally been grown under rain fed conditions in the red volcanic clays of the South Burnett. Increased market demand for the high quality food product has seen development of new production areas with irrigated sandy loams and more intensive practices.

The peanut industry is basically split into three production systems.

1. Extensive rain fed systems on the red volcanic clay loams of the Burnett.
2. Intensive irrigation systems on sandy loams in any of the major irrigation areas (e.g. Emerald, Bundaberg, St George, Theodore and Texas).
3. Intensive high rainfall systems on the red volcanic clay loams (e.g. Atherton Tableland).

For more information on growing peanuts in northern Australia, go to:

• Key points
• Marketing
• Varieties
• Planting and crop development
• Nutrition and Irrigation
• Weed management
• Disease management
• Insect management
• Harvesting, curing and yield
• Further information

See also:

• Peanut aflatoxin page
• Peanut Improvement Project page
• Gross margins for field crops

Key points

• New variety Conder has been released primarily for irrigated central Queensland farming systems. It has shown mixed results in dryland systems.
• Some peanut growers who have changed certain management practices have reduced the risk of aflatoxin incidence. Planting time, harvest time, harvest and curing practices all have an effect on aflatoxin incidence.
• Streeton remains one of the best varieties in terms of yield and drought tolerance in dryland areas such as the South Burnett.
• Peanuts can be profitable, but returns totally depend on yields and quality. They are not a difficult crop to grow, but a difficult crop to grow well.
• Rain at harvest time can reduce grain quality. If prolonged wet weather threatens, consider harvesting early and drying the crop artificially.
• Ideally, peanuts should be rotated with grass crops (sorghum, maize) or potatoes in a three year rotation to suppress soil borne diseases.
• Peanuts require specialised harvesting equipment. Arrangements can usually be made for harvesting contractors to be available to assist with harvesting. Timing of harvesting operations is critical to guarantee high yields and optimum quality.

Further information

• Crosthwaite, I. (1994), Peanut growing in Australia. DPI&F Information series QI94019.
• Croplink Update "Controlling Etiella in Peanuts", Hugh Brier, Kristen Knight and Joe Wessels (1999). QI99046.
• Croplink Update "Aflatoxin in Peanuts", Jim Mackson (2000). QI00020.
• Croplink update "Assessing maturity in dryland peanuts" Jim Mackson, Graeme Wright, N.C. Rachaputi, Steve Krosch and John Tonks (2001). QI01046
• Newsletter for Irrigated Peanut Production (Produced under GRDC funded BMP for the Peanuts Project).

Contacts

• Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries Kingaroy Phone: (07) 4160 0742
• Peanut Company of Australia: Kingaroy Head Office +61 7 4162 6311.
• Clifton Farming Company, peanut shellers +61 7 4697 3311.
• G. Crumpton & Sons, peanut shellers +61 7 41624582.
• Peter Hatfield, "Arachis Australia" P/L, Peanut Consultant +61 7 4162 7477.

Information prepared by Alan Cruickshank, Jim Barnes, Dr Mike Fuhlbohm, Jeff Tatnell and Greg Mills, DPI&F Kingaroy, with assistance from Peter Hatfield " Arachis Australia P/L".

Last reviewed 30 August 2004