Cashew research in India

Abstract

Cashew, after its introduction from Brazil during the 16th Century, has established very well in India. A total of 40 high-yielding varieties have been released so far by the Directorate of Cashew Research, Puttur, and various Agricultural Universities, for cultivation. Of these, 13 are hybrids and 27 are selections. Research achievements in the area of crop improvement, management, protection and post-harvest technology over the last six decades are reviewed and documented here. As India has been importing raw nuts to the tune of 6.5 lakh tons annually to cater the demand of established processing factories, research priorities have been identified to meet the challenges of enhancing production and productivity of cashew in the country.