MANGALURU: Value addition of the cashew apple, a traditionally discarded byproduct of the cashewnut industry, is gaining traction across Dakshina Kannada, with ICAR-Directorate of Cashew Research (DCR) at Puttur promoting processing of non-alcoholic products, including cashew apple pulp, that can boost farmers’ income.
So far, three farmers from Dakshina Kannada and neighbouring Kasargod district have successfully processed cashew apple pulp. A farmer couple successfully completed trial production of cashew apple pulp —Vishwakeshava and Navyashri Kuruveri from Kasargod who have undergone cashew apple value addition training at ICAR-DCR, are selling their products offline and online on www.kuruveri.com.
Kuruveri, who has a five-acre farm with around 900 cashew trees, says cashew apple juice and pulp can provide additional income to farmers. Since the cashew season is almost over, he plans to scale up cashew apple pulp production next year for commercial purposes.
Farmers Radhakrishna of Abhijnana Food Products, Puttur, and Shyam Bhat have also succeeded in trial pulp production; Radhakrishna is also planning large-scale production of pulp next year.
Shree Padre, editor of the farm journal Adike Patrike, who along with other enthusiasts have been studying cashew apple as a value-addition product for the past four months, said Vishwakeshava Kuruveri has shown the farmer community that cashew pulp making is very easy, and low on tech and investment.
“Farmers need to buy only a deep freezer, and a few zip-lock covers. Cashew apple fruit is available for only a few months but using pulp, farmers can extract juice, squash etc throughout the year and earn profit,” he said.