Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)
Puttur, Sep 29: The Cashew Research Directorate (CDR) at Puttur, which has shown tremendous achievements in the field of research in the species of cashew saplings, has reached another milestone this time by introducing another type of cashew. These plants have the capacity of producing cashew nuts that are considerably bigger than the ones available in the international markets.
The directorate of cashew research here functions under the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), through its research has found a new species of cashew nut which has bigger nuts. This species is named Netra Jumbo - 1. The farmers can hope to get a good harvest and additional income in the coming years.
Representational image
In normal course, an average cashew nut weighs between six and eight grams. The jumbo cashew nuts developed by the researchers weighs 12 to 13 grams each. The institute had researched this species since the year 2000 and after some research and findings, in 2021, it succeeded in the production of this species. The DCR has tried to develop this kind of cashew plants as bigger nuts get better rates in the market for the growers and processing also becomes easier.
About 90 percent of the cashew nuts yielded by the cashew plants of this type are of the same size and all the nuts weigh between 12 and 13 grams. By processing 100 kg nuts, 29 to 30 kg kernels are extracted. This breed is of higher quality than the currently prescribed quality for cashew export. This breed can deliver two tonnes per hectare and its fruit also weighs 100 to 150 gram more with red colour. In one hectare land, 200 plants can be planted and from 200 plants, two tonnes of cashew nut can be extracted. These plants can be grown without feeding water.
Even when picking the nuts, it saves coolie of Rs 16,000 per tonne. In the market, bigger nuts command Rs 10,000 more per tonne more. So, per tonne profit will be Rs 26,000. This breed can create new hope in those raising cashew plants. Currently, the Cashew Research Directorate is trying to safeguard its rights on this cashew species.