Kerala Cashews Poor Yield but output doubles

11 April 2013
Kochi

Though raw cashew nut production has more than doubled in the last two decades, poor yield is still a cause for concern compared to competitors such as Vietnam.According to official estimates, raw cashew output in 2012-13 is about 7.3 lakh tonnes (lt) from an area of over 9.8 lakh hectares. This is against 3.48 lt from 5.65 lakh hectares in 1993-94 and 5 lt from 7.7 lakh hectares in 2002-03.

Total raw cashew production in Vietnam in 1993 was 1.86 lt from 69,100 hectares. It shot up to 12.73 lt from a total area of 3.31 lakh hectares in 2011, according to the latest FAO statistics.

Cashew processing facilities could process around two million tonnes of raw cashew nuts but the availability of the domestic raw material is limited to nearly one-third of the requirement.Imports of raw nuts decreased during April-November 2012 to 6,11,481 tonnes valued at Rs 3,665.54 crore from 6,94,188 tonnes valued at Rs 4,511.19 crore in the same period a year ago, Cashew Export Promotion Council of India said.

In fact, India has 24 per cent of the global area under cashew and yet the country contributes only 19 per cent of the global production.

Source -http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/agri-biz/cashew-output-doubles-in-2-decades-but-yield-up-only-20/article4606839.ece

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