There is surely something about being ‘numero uno’ which spurs both thought and action. Especially when one has been dislodged from that position. The entire discourse on cashew production in the country revolves around how we lost not just the number one position to Vietnam, and are closely competing with Nigeria for the second place. Almost everyone connected with the sector laments that till about a decade ago, India was the world leading producer, exporter and importer of cashew , and how newer players, who learnt the techniques from us, are now doing better !
But this is not the real tragedy. The real concern emanates when one looks at the fine print, and observes that Vietnam produces 9.58 mt (million tonnes) from a 348,000 ha and India produces 6.81 mt from 943,000 ha. Nigeria produces 5.8 mt from 330,000 ha, and its productivity is way ahead of India’s. (FAO Stat 2009)
What then are the reasons for the failure of Indian cashew to achieve global bench marks? Why is it that in many of the traditional cashew growing states like Kerala and Goa the area under cashew is declining even though the domestic requirements are rising, and India is today a net importer of raw cashew to the extent of Rs 3000/(three thousand crores) every year ? Should we therefore move to newer, non – traditional areas like Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh for cashew production? Should we continue to promote cashew cultivation on the fields of marginal and small farmers, or should we go for large scale plantations? These are some of the issues which were raised in the review meeting on cashew production at Kochi organized by the Directorate of cashew and Cocoa development, which your columnist attended on June 24, 2010. The meeting was attended by the Horticulture Commissioners, Plantation directors and ICAR institutions of cashew growing states, viz, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Odhisha, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh.
Within India, the top honours for cashew production go to Maharashtra, with a productivity of 1231 kg/ha. It also has the highest area under production (181,000 hectares). Kerala is also doing well with a productivity of 947 kg/ha, but the real concern is with states like AP, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu which have large areas under cashew, but the productivity is less than 500 kg/ha.
The main issue therefore before India is not so much to increase the area under cultivation, but replanting or rejuvenation of existing areas under cashew to make them more productive, adoption of better nutrient management, pest control, drip irrigation, canopy management and establishment of nurseries for high quality planting material. The exception to the rule being new states like Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh where large tracts of lateritic fallows and cultivable wastelands are suitable for this crop with basic interventions in water and soil management.
Kerala and Goa: High Labour and Land Costs
The main challenge to cashew in states like Kerala and Goa is that while labour costs have risen phenomenally, the land prices have hit the roof, thereby making raising serious issues of viability. Land under cashew is not just giving way to rubber (which appears to be give better returns in the short to medium run), but also to realtors, and to the mining sector ,in Goa). The daily wage rates in Kerala have touched Rs 400/per day with food, and even this rate, labour may or may not be available when critical operations may be required. It is therefore important to look, both at mechanization of operations , as well as higher value realization from each fruit, by ensuring that in addition to the kernel, the cashew apple is also put to productive use . Goa of course produces the legendary ‘feni’ from cashew apple, but there are other uses as well – these range from cashew apple candy, to cashew-cocoa chocolate and utilization as animal feed. The Kerala Agricultural University is also looking at using the cashew apple for bio –fuel applications. The processing cashew processing industry is very well established in Maharashtra and needs raw stock, not only from other states, but also from Vietnam and Nigeria, among others.
Non Traditional Areas
As incomes improve, the demand for cashew grows – both for domestic, confectionary and use in chocolate industry. Naturally, the cultivation is moving to newer and non- traditional areas, especially Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh where large tracts are available. The challenge in these states is to provide the best quality planting material, and to demonstrate the best package of practices to the farmers. This would require close co-ordination between the state horticulture missions and the directorate of cashew and cocoa development, which has so far been concentrating on the southern states and Maharashtra. The DCCD (Directorate of cashew and Cocoa Development ) does have a system of accrediting nurseries in the private sector also for providing quality planting material, but most of these are located in ‘traditional states’. However, this is not an insurmountable problem, and can be addressed.
Cashew Plantations under PSUs.
While over 75% of the production of cashew is on lands of individual farmers, PSU plantations produce one fourth of the cashew in the country. These are mainly on forest lands, or erstwhile privately owned rubber/cocoa estates. One would expect that the productivity of these plantations would be better, on account of scientific management and better access to institutional support: however this is not the case. This is attributed to the fact that most of these plantations are quite old (senile), and require complete reworking and professional management with CEOs being in position for at least three to five years at a stretch. However this has never been the case and the forest department has still not applied its ‘mind’ to this aspect. The Forest Conservation Act also acts as a dampener: in many cases these trees cannot be cut, even for replacement without requisite permissions, a procedure that is quite cumbersome. However there are exceptions: like the Odhisa Corporation which has always been profitable, and in now diversifying into mango and medicinal plants as well! Hopefully others will follow suit !