The importance of cashew as a contributor to the farm economy of India is growing rapidly According to latest statistics (Anon. 2008), India is the global leader in the production of raw Cashew nuts and kernels at global level. In addition, India is also a major importer of cashew nut. The total area under cashew cultivation in 2006-07 was 850,000 hectares with the production of 620,000 tons and average productivity of 820 kg/ ha. The area under production of cashew has been increasing at a rate of 3.1% annually during the period 1990-2006. On the other hand, cashew nut production over the same period has been increasing at an annual rate of 4.4%. This implies an increase in the nut production per unit of land area besides the increase in the area under cultivation. Introduction of high yielding varieties and adoption of intensive production practices are the likely reasons for the higher per ha nut yields.
展开▼
