Mamata Gatty, the newly appointed Chairman of the Karnataka Cashew Development Corporation, announced the launch of the “A Cashew Tree for a House” program during the opening of the Corporation’s new office in Mangaluru on Monday. The initiative aims to distribute cashew seedlings to every household, encouraging the cultivation of cashew trees in residential areas.

Speaking to reporters, Ms. Gatty emphasized the nutritional value of cashew fruit, which contains five times more Vitamin C than oranges. She highlighted the historical significance of consuming cashew fruit in the region’s heritage when ancestors commonly consumed the fruit from backyard trees. Ms. Gatty expressed concern about the current lack of awareness regarding the nutritious value of cashew fruit due to the absence of cashew trees in residential spaces.

The decision regarding the program will be made during the upcoming board meeting of the Corporation, scheduled to take place within a week, according to Ms. Gatty. While cashew cultivation has declined in recent years with a shift to arecanut and coconut, Karnataka still ranks sixth in terms of cashew production.

The Corporation, managing cashew orchards in 25,629 hectares across Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, and Shivamogga districts, has generated revenue of ₹493.43 lakh in 2021-22 and ₹414.10 lakh in 2022-23 from cashew. Plans for further orchard development are underway.

Ms. Gatty revealed plans to propose a ₹50 crore fund to Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre for cashew nursery development and orchard enrichment. Additionally, the Corporation has sought ₹10 crore under the National Horticulture Mission and ₹8 crore under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana. Despite facing challenges such as untimely rain affecting this year’s yield, steps are being taken to boost cashew production in the state.

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