Kiosks at major airports to promote cashew kernels

Industry demands privatisation of state-owned cashew gardens

The Karnataka government will favourably consider the cashewnut industry's demand to set up kiosks at major airports including the new international airport coming up at Devanahalli near Bangalore to promote the consumption of cashew kernels.

To begin with, the state government will make provisions for setting up kiosks at the international airport in Bangalore and Mangalore, which is seeking international airport status.

This is expected to enable the industry showcase and sell cashew kernels to the departing passengers mainly international travellers, Karnataka minister for higher education and animal husbandry V S Acharya said.

"Karnataka, from time immemorial was known as the land of sandalwood and silk. For the last few years we have become number one in coffee in the country. Now the cashew industry is also picking up. We will help the industry to grow further," he added.

Addressing the members of the Karnataka Cashew Manufacturers Association at the conclusion of its golden jubilee celebrations, here on Saturday, he said that there is a tremendous potential to increase cashewnut production in the state and to enable cashewnut processors in the state to consolidate their position in the country, the state government will provide the required support. "There is a need to provide proper linkage between the producers, processors and consumers," he said.

Walter D'Souza, chairman, Cashew Export Promotion Council of India (CEPCI) urged the state government to privatise the cashew gardens spread over 28,000 hectares under government control.

Karnataka Cashew Development Corporation (KCDC) is the nodal agency to promote cultivation of cashew in the state. Also, the yield is presently very low at just 435 kgs per hectare and it has to be increased to 2,000 kgs. The total area under cashew cultivation in the state is spread over 68,000 hectares.

The cashewnut industry faced a severe shortage of raw nuts as the production in the state was limited to 40,000 metric tonnes and the processing units were importing 30,000 tonnes from states like Kerala, Goa, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa.

Another 30,000 tonnes were imported from abroad to meet the demand, he said adding that privatisation of KCDC gardens will enable the industry increase the raw cashewnut production.

He also urged the state government to increase financial assistance to the industry under the National Horticulture Mission (NHM). Presently, Rs 6 crore has been earmarked for the development of new cashew gardens in the state under NHM.

The cashew industry has grown from an installed capacity of 8,000 metric tonnes in 1970 to an installed capacity of 1.1 lakh metric tonnes in 2004. The capacity utilisation is as high as 95 per cent.