The Hindu Business Line : 25 lakh cashew saplings to be distributed

The Karnataka Horticulture Department is planning to distribute around 25 lakh cashew saplings to growers thisfiscal to increase the production of raw cashewnut in the State.

Addressing presspersons here on Tuesday, Mr K. Prakash Rao, President of Karnataka Cashew Manufacturers' Association (KCMA), said that the department haddoubled the number of saplings to be distributed during the current fiscal as against the previous fiscal. It distributed 5.24 lakh cashew saplings in 2004-05 and 11 lakh saplings in 2005-06 through KCMA and other non-governmental organisations. "During the current fiscal, around 25 lakh cashew saplings will be distributed," he said.

Last year KCMA distributed over one lakh saplings through its member network to farmers. KCMA also followed up the initiative to ensure a high survival rate of saplings. "Cashew saplings now have an incredible demand in the State. Nurseries have exhausted their stocks of high-yielding cashew saplings. Now they are gearing up to meet this demand," he said.

KCMA, in association with the Horticulture Department, has initiated `Karnataka Cashew Development Programme' to increase the raw cashew production in the State from the existing 40,000 tonnes to 1.50 lakh tonnes to make Karnataka the "cashew State" of India by 2015. The programme wants to create awareness among farmers to take up cashew crop in an orchard fashion and increase the output per hectare from the existing 700 kg to 2,000 kg.

He said that cashew saplings have been distributed in areas such as Mangalore, Vittal, Puttur and Sullia in Dakshina Kannada district; Udupi and Kundapur in Udupi district; and Honnavar and Kumta in Uttara Kannada district.

The programme has also given thrust on increasing cashew cultivation in non-traditional areas such as Belgaum and Kolar districts.

As a finale to its golden jubilee celebrations, KCMA would organise a cashew festival in Bangalore from April 21 to 24. A national-level buyer-seller meet would be held on April 22, he added.