Good times ahead for cashew cultivators

Ramani Kangaraarachchi

COLOMBO: The Sri Lanka Cashew Corporation has taken several measures to increase cashew plantation in the country to meet the high demand for cashew products, General Manager W.B. Galagedara said.

He said there was an encouraging response from the market and it was necessary to develop the product both in terms of volume and quality.

The existing 40,000 hectares of cashew cultivation will be extended by another 2,000 hectares annually upto 2009 to receive 650 kilograms of cashew per hectare, according to Manager Extension L.H.D. Somapala.

He said Sri Lanka produces the best cashew in the world and a kilo of cashew costs US $ 9. Somapala said there are about 3,000 cashew growers in the country and the Corporation encourages more growers by educating them from village to village and giving a subsidy of Rs. 9,500 per acre.

The main advantage of growing cashew is that there is a readymade market and it is the best potential for the dry zone which needs a low investment and easy cultivation, he said.

Manager Plantation G.B.B. Surendra said there are four plantations in Puttalam, Anamaduwa, Kiran and Hambantota and the Corporation has planned to plant 400,000 plants during 2007 and to receive 120 metric tons of cashew nuts.