Cashew farmers of the Sattari taluka have every reason to be happy this year, as there is over 90 per cent increase in the yield for the first time in the last two decades. Goa cashew nuts are valued for their taste, as the local farmers gather the produce from the ground instead of plucking it prematurely from a tree. The farmers from the areas like Charawnem, Thane, Pali, Dhave and Brahmakarmali are solely dependent on this cash crop.
“The bumper cashew crop has kept everyone busy; cashew farmers never had it so good. We expect that in the remaining days, we would get a good yield if the weather conditions prevail,” Laxman Halwalkar, a cashew farmer said.
Processors are offering the best-ever price of Rs 160 per kg of cashew nuts, compared to Rs 105-110 per kg last year. The farmers said that the crop will be plentiful if it rains in the coming days. After the season started at the end of February 2017, the first yield commanded a good value in the market. But due to dew and foggy weather conditions in the second phase of flowering, produce dropped. “Compared to the last five years, this year, we got good yield. The intense heat augmented the produce in Sattari,” a progressive farmer, Ashok Joshi, said. He further said that the quality of cashew nuts has been satisfactory, as the weather was favourable during the flowering stage and even during the seeding stage.
“The rain, if it occurs this week, will lead to a good yield,” Joshi said.
He further said that this year, the yield has been high, and within 10 days, they got good quantity. The farmers, who are closely watching the weather conditions, are hoping for slight rain which can help boost the produce. Agriculture officer, Sameer Gawas, said that this year, there has been bumper cashew production. “Soaring mercury benefited the cashew production, and from our survey, we have found that this year, in Sattari produce will be good,” he added. Cashew nut prices show a progressive rise year after year. Prices shoot up at the beginning of every season due to demand and gradually decrease when more and more nuts hit the market.
source: Navhind Times