The foreign exchange earned by India through export of cashew kernels, cashewnut shell liquid and allied products during 2008-09 was US $ 656 million, equivalent to Rs. 3,014 crores. The global economic recession has affected our cashew kernel exports adversely. There was 4% decrease in the quantity of Cashew Kernels exported during 2008-09 compared to that of 2007-08.India exported 1,09,523 MT of cashew kernels valued at Rs. 2,988.40 Crores and 9,099 MT of CNSL valued at Rs. 26.06Crores during the year 2008-09.
USA, Netherlands, UAE and Japan continued to be our major buyers. Export to American Zone was 34.5%, European Zone 30%, West Asia and Africa 24.5%, South East and FarEast Zone 8% and Oceanic Zone 2%. Besides earning valuable foreign exchange, cashew exports generate employment direct and indirect, for more than 10 lakh workers, 95% of whom are rural women from the underprivileged sections of the society.
Production of raw cashew nuts
As per the estimate of the Directorate of Cashewnut & Cocoa Development, production of Raw Cashewnuts in India during 2008-09 was 6,95,000 MT as against 6,65,000 MT during 2007-08. The raw nut requirement of the cashew processing industry in India is estimated to be over 12 lakh MTs per annum and the availability from internal sources is about half of this.
The balance is met by import from other producing countries, mainly African countries and Indonesia. As such, it is very important to make the country self-sufficient in the matter of raw cashewnuts. India Government is taking some steps in this direction by promoting replantation, expansion of new cultivation, etc. The Kerala Government. has set up a special agency for promoting cashew cultivation under the chairmanship of the Cashew Special Officer.
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