Attempt to Cash(ew) in on the Nut Shell to Develop Bio-fuel
KOCHI:By growing a cashew tree you can bid farewell to petrol/diesel pumps. It is not an imaginary situation as technology has proved that Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (CNSL)/Cardanol can be used as an alternative for petrol/diesel.
Mangalore-based Cardolite Speciality Chemicals India is working with two firms, one in India and one overseas, to develop the product commercially available. India, as the third largest producer of cashewnuts in the world, has a huge potential in benefiting from this development as only 40 per cent of the potential to commercially utilise CNSL has been exploited in the country sofar.
“At present some companies in Europe have the patent to make bio-fuel from CNSL. The idea of using Cardanol as an alternative to petroleum products gained momentum when crude oil prices were high.
But the ‘energy’ pertaining to commercially make the product available in the market was lost when crude prices cool down. We as a country are yet to explore the full potential of this liquid. But it will happen sooner or later,” said Shailendra Bhatkhande, Managing Partner, Cardolite Speciality Chemicals India LLP.
The shell liquid, which is extracted out of the outer shell of the nut, also has industrial applications in the automotive industry, leather and tobacco curing. CNSL-based derivatives have been used as substitute for phenol. It is also used in the making of resins for paints.
India produces about 8.5 lakh tonne of raw cashew (about 15 per cent of the nut weight is liquid). The total available raw nut supply in the country is 17 lakh tonne (including imports). An estimated 2.5 lakh tonne of CNSL can be produced in India but the country produce only 60,000-80,000 tonne.
Exports of CSNL/Cardanol have shown a substantial increase from 1,022 tonne to 1,471 tonne in April-May 2015.
“The production of CNSL is limited in the country as all processing units do not produce it. But it has huge potential now. The average price of CNSL has gone up to Rs 22.13/kg in 2008 from Rs 15.63 in 2007. But 2014 was a substantial year for the liquid as the price has touched an all-time high of Rs 45/kg.
Now the price is at Rs 18. Support from the part of the government can make CNSL a better value added product from cashew nut,” said Santhosh D’Silva, Managing Partner, Santhosh Cashews.