ICAR prepares blueprint for increasing cashew nut production

India's apex agriculture research body ICAR has prepared a blueprint for making the country self-sufficient in cashew nut production.

The country presently imports over 6 lakh million tonne of cashew nut from African countries, which is almost equal to domestic output, trade sources said. 

"We have prepared a detailed Action Plan in consultation with the stakeholders, including scientists and the private sector, to increase the production of cashew nut in a phased manner," said N P Singh, Director, ICAR Research Complex, Goa, who chaired a meeting on cashew nut in Goa early this week.   

The plan involves providing better technology to farmers and other assistance, Singh said. "We plan to increase cashew nut production by 2.5 times by 2013-14, which will be sufficient to meet the domestic demand," Singh added.

Cashew is the main economic crop of the Goa, with more than 50% of the cultivable area (55,000 hectares) under it.

Cashew was planted in an area of 9.23 lakh hectares in India in 2009-10 and the country produced 6.13 million tonnes of the dry fruit during the year. The cashew productivity of 695 kg per hectare in India is far below world productivity of 10.81 kg a hectare.

Cashew nuts are very rich source of minerals like manganese, potassium, copper, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium. It is mainly cultivated in Vietnam, Nigeria and India.