A geographical analysis of cashewnut processing industry in the Sindhudurg district, Maharashtra

Abstract

Cashew (Anacardium Occidentale L.) belongs to the family Anacardiacae is an economically important tropical crop. The Indian Cashew Industry is export oriented and hence called as dollar earning crop of the country. It provides employment to more than 5 lakh people both directly and indirectly, particularly in the rural areas. India is largest producer, processor, consumer and exporter in the world contributing for 26.40 per cent and 46.09 per cent of the world production and export respectively during 2006-07. Even though, India is importing sizable quantity of raw cashewnut to get the advantage of value addition. There is huge scope to increase productivity by putting waste land under cashew plantation in the konkan region. For this there is a need to carry out the geographical study to strategies the plan for improvement. In Maharashtra state cashewnut is grown mainly in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts. Most of the cashew producers in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts are small producers and they are unorganized. Consequently, marketing of cashewnut remained to be of primitive nature and unorganized.