Groundnuts (also called peanuts and earthnuts) are grown from the plant of the pea family, and are developed in pods that ripen underground. India is the highest producer of groundnuts after China, which leads global groundnut production. Due to its wide variety of use and cross cultural consumption, it is traded in very high quantities. The main use of groundnut is as a source of edible oil, but the high protein content also makes it an important food crop. Groundnuts can be eaten raw, used in recipes, made into solvents and oils, medicines, textile materials, peanut butter, as well as many other uses. Boiled peanuts are a popular snack in several countries as well.
