Desk Report,
Cashew nut consumption is increasing, production has doubled in three years
Cashews have taken their place on the table for morning or afternoon snacks at home. Even in government and private offices and business meetings, the popularity of serving cashews is increasing. Cashews have now become a trend from home dining tables to corporate offices. Cashews contain a lot of protein and various types of vitamins and minerals. Along with beneficial fats and medicinal properties, the demand for the product has been increasing since the start of Covid. As a result, a market worth thousands of crores of taka has been created. About 90 percent of the demand for cashews has to be met through imports.
Cashew nut consumption is increasing, production has doubled in three years
Although the demand for cashews in the country is increasing rapidly, production is increasing slowly. According to the Department of Agricultural Extension, in the 2020-21 fiscal year, cashews were cultivated on 2,211 hectares of land in the country. And the production was 1,616 tons. However, the amount of cultivation and production has doubled in the space of three years. However, the demand is even higher.
In the 2023-24 fiscal year, the area of cultivation was 3,317 hectares. And the production was 3,950 tons. We talked about cashew nut production with Shahidul Islam, director of the ‘Cashew Nut and Coffee Research, Development and Extension Project’.
Shahidul Islam told Prothom Alo, ‘Cashew nut production does not require much care. Once you plant a tree, it is done. Apart from that, there are few high-value crops like cashew nuts. Farmers get 200 taka for one kg. But in the hills, a kg of mango may only get 40 taka. That is why hill farmers are being attracted to cashew nut production. We are training them. We are giving seedlings free of cost. Now cashew nut cultivation has increased to 4,500 hectares. However, cashew nut cultivation is possible on 100,000 hectares of land in the hills.’
