<p>Crop productivity and soil quality are not frequently linked for groundnut cultivation, and so far not studied especially in Indian condition. Groundnut is an important oilseed crop and has shown its relevance for human nutrition and high-value export commodity. We have seen that Indian states can be divided into high and low productive zones keeping a threshold productivity of 1200&#xa0;kg ha^− 1. Here soil samples were collected and analyzed from three major groundnut growing states i.e., Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. Sampling was done from pockets of low (zone 1) and high (zone 2) productivity areas. Soil samples were analyzed for twelve soil quality indicators encompassing selected soil physico-chemical and chemical attributes, and it was observed that mean values were N: 116.2&#xa0;kg ha^− 1, P: 40.88&#xa0;kg ha^− 1, K: 280.1&#xa0;kg ha^− 1, Ca: 449.87 ppm, S: 2.36 ppm, across the three productivity zones. Results showed that groundnut productivity of each individual zone (either high or low) has been attributed by few crucial soil quality indicators, as revealed by multivariate analysis. Principal component analysis identified the most variable soil factors for high productive Zone 1 (S, Fe, pH, EC, Cu, K, Zn, P up to PC-5, &gt; 1 eigen value with cumulative variance 84.284%), low productive Zone 2 (Na, EC, P, Ca, K, Mn, Zn, P, up to PC-4, &gt; 1 eigen value with cumulative variance 74.666%) areas of Gujarat; and for high productive belts of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu (EC, P, K, Mn, Zn, Fe, N up to PC-4, &gt; 1 eigen value with cumulative variance 85.114%). Further spatial analysis of analyzed soils in Gujarat from Amreli (zone 1: low productivity belt) and Porbandar (zone 2: high productivity belt) revealed how the major soil fertility factors have been contrasting for both zones. Overall, this study is an indicative scenario that maintaining soil quality is an indispensable to judge groundnut productivity over the years.</p>