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The Karnataka Cashew Manufacturers’ Association (KCMA) has said that it is ready to accept the challenge posed by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, on better utilisation of cashew apple. It has requested the Prime Minister to constitute a task force with members from industry and research bodies to find viable alternatives on utilisation of cashew apples.
In a letter to Modi, Bola Rahul Kamath, President of KCMA, said that the association would like to take up the challenge posed by the Prime Minister on proper utilisation of cashew apple on public-private partnership model during his recent visit to Tumkur.
“We are buying raw cashewnuts from the farmers, and are ready to buy even cashew apples from them and put them to proper use,” he said.
Out of 40 lakh tonnes of cashew apples produced in the country, 98 per cent is wasted. Proper utilisation of cashew apples can definitely increase the income of Indian farmers, he said.
Though various research institutes are working on cashew, the industry is not aware of the progress made by them in the proper utilisation of cashew apples, he said.
Stating that Goa allows distillation to make cashew fenny, he said that the laws in other states do not allow such distillation.
Production of juice from cashew apples opens up a lot of logistical challenges, he said, and expressed doubts about the viability of projects such as production of bio-diesel from cashew apple.
Kamath suggested that a task force be appointed with representatives from industry and research institutes to identify the viable alternatives on utilisation of cashew apples. “If alternatives are viable and if such technology is patented by the institutes, the same may be offered to farmers in the interest of nation,” he said.
Proper utilisation of cashew apples will have many benefits, as it will increase the income of farmers and make cashew cultivation more viable. The increase in raw cashew production will help cashew industry to expand and generate more jobs in rural India, he said.
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