Indian groundnuts export mainly as bold and Java types, shelled and graded by count, and HPS peanuts from India are the hand-picked, selected grade used for snacks and direct eating. The biggest risk when you buy is aflatoxin, a toxin from mould, so the supplier's sorting, storage and testing matter as much as the variety.
Gujarat's Saurashtra region, around Junagadh, Rajkot and Amreli, is one of the main groundnut-producing areas. Gujarat varieties include bold, Java and other types, which the trade grades by kernel size.
Bold or Java, and what the count means
Bold peanuts are large, round kernels, used for roasting and as snack nuts. Java peanuts are smaller and more uniform, often used for peanut butter and confectionery. The difference between Java and Bold peanuts explains the types.
Count means the number of kernels per ounce. A count of 40/50 means 40 to 50 kernels per ounce, so a lower number means bigger kernels. What counts like 40/50, 50/60 and 60/70 mean shows the usual ranges. Always specify the count together with the tolerance for kernels outside the range.
What HPS means
HPS stands for hand-picked selected. Kernels are sorted by hand, or by machine and then by hand, to remove damaged, discoloured and shrivelled nuts. Because the grade removes the nuts most likely to carry aflatoxin, it is the usual choice for human consumption. See what HPS groundnut is.
Peanuts are also graded by kernel type, such as whole, split and damaged, and by whether they are sold in the skin or blanched. Blanched kernels have the red skin removed and suit different products.
Ask what share of defects the supplier allows, such as split kernels, damaged kernels and foreign matter, and write those limits into the specification.
Aflatoxin: the test you must not skip
Aflatoxin limits differ by importing country and by whether the nuts are for direct eating or further processing. They are strict in the EU. Read the aflatoxin limits that apply to peanuts and confirm the current limits with your customs broker or the food authority in your market.
Aflatoxin is unevenly spread in a lot, so sampling matters. A small sample can pass while the lot fails. Ask the laboratory how many samples were taken and how they were ground and mixed. How aflatoxin in Indian peanuts is tested and controlled goes further.
Choosing the supplier
Moisture at packing is the other control point. Groundnuts that go into a container above the safe moisture level can develop mould on the voyage. Ask for the moisture reading at loading, and ask how the container is prepared against condensation.
A shelling and grading plant controls sorting, moisture and storage. A trader may not. Ask for the plant address, the sorting line, the warehouse conditions and the test history on past lots. Peanuts also need dry storage and ventilated packing; moisture in the bag is how mould starts.
For payment, shipping term and sampling, the general advice in FOB, CIF or DAP applies to peanuts as it does to other agri goods.
Next step
We source groundnut suppliers in Saurashtra, test lots for aflatoxin and supervise loading. Prices depend on crop, count and grade, so we do not publish them here. To discuss your specification, book a free sourcing review.