Study urged to find nutrition value of cashewnuts

Export promotion council to launch brand promotion in West Asia

The Union commerce ministry has reacted favourably to a proposal by the Cashew Export Promotion Council of India (CEPCI) to conduct a study to determine the nutritional value of cashewnut.

The study, which is estimated to cost Rs 6 crore, is part of the council's programme to increase the consumption of cashewnuts in the country.

"It is essential to conduct a scientific study to know the benefits of eating cashewnut. The study can disprove many misconceptions about the cashewnut such as it is rich in cholesterol," CEPCI chairman Walter D'Souza told Business Standard.

He added that "consumption of cashewnut is beneficial to health and we need to document the properties of the nut in an international perspective".

Presently, the country consumes around 95,000 tonnes of cashewnut annually, of which Karnataka's share is a meagre 3,500-4,000 tonnes.

"There is tremendous potential for increasing the domestic consumption of cashewnut through programmes like the Kaju Festival being planned in Bangalore from April 21-24, 2006. We hope to increase the consumption in the state to 10,000 tonnes in the next 10 years," said Kalbavi Prakash Rao, president, Mangalore Cashew Manufacturers Association.

D'Souza said CEPCI has also initiated a brand promotion campaign to popularise the commodity in select international as well as domestic markets. A programme has been initiated under the commerce ministry's market access initiative (MAI) to create a favourable brand image for cashewnut in the local market.

"We feel that the government is proactive and listening to the industry's suggestions to promote consumption of cashewnut," D'Souza said.

The CEPCI has also proposed to introduce branded value-added consumer packs on an experimental basis in West Asian countries. It has identified 15-20 brands including three from Karnataka, to participate in the programme. To begin with, the brands will be showcased in United Arab Emirates.

CEPCI will bear the brand promotion expenses. "We are presently working out the details of the programme and it will be launched in September this year to coincide with the global buyer-seller meet planned at Kovalam near Thiruvananthapuram," the CEPCI chairman said.