Moving away from traditional agricultural crops, farmers in lower Assam’s Dhubri district are turning to cashew nut, which has prospect for earning a larger profit.
A large number of farmers, who cultivated rice, pulses and vegetables normally, were turning to cashew nut production which has increased the area under cashew in the state to over 2,500 hectares from a mere 50 hectares in 2001.
According to the farmers, cashew growers societies and self-help groups were cultivating the nut in about 1,000 hectares with help from the state agriculture department under the Technology Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture.
Agriculture department sources said the farmers were provided financial assistance, technical help and also training on different aspects of cashew cultivation. The farmers mostly in Suksor, Rangapani and Malatijhora areas of the district were confident of high returns even though it required four years to yield fruit.
Over 300 farmers also intended to double the area under cashew soon to meet the demands of the existing cashew processing factories, mostly in Mancachar in the district, fed by nuts from neighbouring Garo hills of Meghalaya.
The existing 11 cashew factories in Mancachar were able to meet only half the needs of the Garo hills and the new farms would be able to fulfil their demands and also of the market, the sources said.
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The horticulture department has also made cashew growing its thrust area as it was easy to grow and its quality high in Dhubri district. Stating that cashew had immense potential for export, horticulture department sources said, the technology mission has targetted to bring Nagaon, North Cachar hills and Karbi Anglong districts also under cashew production.
As raw cashew was high in acid content and could not be directly consumed, the sources said, the nuts had to undergo an elaborate process of drying in the sun, roasting, breaking and heating to be ready for consumption. Asserting the cashews were certified to be the best in Asia in taste, the sources said, the finished products had markets in Assam, the north eastern states and neighbouring West Bengal.