Groundnut DOC is commonly traded with crude protein somewhere in the mid 40s to around 50 percent. That range is for illustration only. The figure on your contract should come from the supplier's recent test results and your own sample test.
Protein in groundnut meal moves with the share of hulls, the oil left in the meal and the moisture. A quote that says a protein figure without saying the basis is not complete.
Why the figure varies
- Hulls: groundnut is shelled before crushing. If more shell or skin goes into the press, fibre rises and protein falls.
- Residual oil: solvent extracted meal usually holds little oil. Expeller cake holds more, so its protein is lower by weight.
- Moisture: more water in the meal means less protein per kilogram as received.
- Seed quality: damaged, shrivelled or immature kernels give a weaker meal.
- Plant control: steady extraction and toasting give a steadier result from lot to lot.
Always state the basis
Protein can be reported on an as-is basis, which is the product as shipped, or on a dry matter basis, which removes the water. The dry matter figure is always higher. A supplier who quotes dry matter while you formulate on as-is has, in effect, sold you less protein.
Ask for protein as-is, with a maximum moisture stated alongside. Name the method, for example Kjeldahl or Dumas, and the factor used to convert nitrogen to protein. Agree a tolerance and what happens if a lot comes in below it, such as a price allowance per point or a right to reject.
Protein is not the only number
Groundnut meal is a good protein source for cattle and is used in poultry and fish feed at controlled levels. Its main risk is aflatoxin, which can make an otherwise good meal unusable, especially for dairy cattle. That is covered in what aflatoxin limits apply to groundnut meal for feed.
- Moisture: often specified around 10 percent or lower, for illustration.
- Crude fibre: a high figure points to extra hulls.
- Sand and silica: measured as acid insoluble ash, a sign of field soil and poor cleaning.
- Residual oil: tells you whether the meal is solvent extracted or expeller cake.
- Aflatoxin and salmonella: the two tests that most often decide whether a lot is accepted.
Where groundnut DOC comes from
Gujarat, especially Saurashtra, is a major groundnut crushing area, with the seed harvested roughly September to November. Fresh crop meal is usually available from late in the year, but crushing runs through the season as seed allows. Confirm current availability for the specific year with the supplier. Background on the crop is in what groundnut varieties Gujarat exports.
Where we come in
We draw sealed samples at the plant and have protein, moisture and aflatoxin tested at an NABL-accredited lab, so the contract figure rests on evidence. We then check that loaded lots match. Ask for a free sourcing review.