Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Saturday, Mar 16, 2002
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Saturday, Mar 16, 2002 |
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Agri-Biz & Commodities
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Cashew Kerala cashew acreage dips G.K. Nair
KOCHI, March 15 THE area under cashew in Kerala, which once occupied the top slot in the country in both area and production, has declined by over 40 per cent during the last few years. Kerala has around 90,000 hectares under cashew now following a gradual fall in the area from 1.55 lakh hectares in 1991-92, according to the Kerala State Economy Review. Andhra Pradesh tops in area with 1.3 lakh hectares followed by Maharashtra with 1.21 lakh hectares. In terms of production, Maharashtra is on top with 98,000 tonnes followed by Kerala with 76,000 tonnes and Andhra Pradesh with 75,000 tonnes, according to Mr P.P. Balasubramanian, Director, Cashew and Cocoa Development. The shift towards rubber when its price was ruling high had brought down the area under cashew, he told Business Line. Besides the Land Ceiling Act, in force in Kerala, was also responsible for the decline in area under the crop, he said. If plantation status was given to cashew more area would come up with cashew. On the other hand, unlike certain other States such as Maharashtra, where cashew was promoted with State Government support, in Kerala no incentives were given to this crop as other plantation crops. This had become a dissuading factor, Dr Abdul Salam, Assistant Dean of Kerala Agricultural University, said. He said the investment needed to raise one hectare cashew plantation, spread over three years of gestation period, was Rs 32,000. The raw cashew nut price, according to him, had been remunerative in recent years. And yet, the crop was neglected in the State, he said. The State Government had allocated Rs 15 crore for cashew in its Budget for the next fiscal. But, it was not known whether this amount would be utilised for developing and enhancing the cultivation.
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