PROTECTING CASHEW PLANTATION FARMERS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF CASHEW INDUSTRY IN GOA

Author Name: Chittaranjandas V. Devulkar

Volume/Issue: 02/01

Country: India

DOI NO.: 08.2020-25662434 DOI Link: https://www.doi-ds.org/doilink/07.2021-96488189/UIJIR

Affiliation:

Ph.D Research scholar, Dr. Dada Vaidya college of Education, Asst. Science Teacher, Vivekananda Vidyalaya, Shirshire Bori-Ponda, Goa, India.

ABSTRACT

Goa, one of the favourite international destination sites for most of the tourist is struggling to come back on its track after the second wave of covid with major setback to the back bones of its economy VIZ Tourism and Minining. They have literally come to a standstill due to pandemic. However, the Goa’s heritage drinks the Cashew feni and the king of nuts the cashew nuts are still able to keep the Goan’s faith in God as Goan farmers are dependent on these two products as they provide a two-pronged source of income from cashew industry. The writer through this paper tries to highlight the problems faced by the cashew farmers in Goa and importance of these two products from cashew industry not only during pandemic and how they were able to maintain the economy even during pandemic crises but also how these two international products can make backbone of Goa’s economy for sustenance of Goa and therefore why Government has to take initiative to support these cashew growing farmers in increasing area under cultivation and also providing them various schemes & subsidies for sustainable growth of cashew industry. Cashew Feni,a triple distilled spirit and a heritage liquor of Goa, accounts for barely 2 per cent of the total revenue collected by the excise department in the state. But for distillers, particularly the smaller farmers, it is a key source of income. cashew feni can last for up to 10 years. As it gets older, its price increases, thereby increasing the profits for the manufacturers. It is like a fixed deposit for farmers who can afford to wait. India is the largest producer, processer, consumer and exporter of cashew in the world. The current Cashewnut production in India accounts for 45 per cent of the global production. India being the leader in the world in raw Cashew nut production and is also the largest supplier of cashew kernels to the major world markets. Cashew cultivation plays a significant role in the economy of Goa. Goa stands in sixth position both in area and production in India in 2017 however, the cashew productivity is much lower than the all-other cashew producing states in India. Growth rates in area, production and productivity of Cashewnut in Goa state and for all India. Goa state recorded Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 0.25 per cent and at all India level CAGR was 2.29 per cent. In Goa, a decreasing growth rate was observed for the area under cashew nut (-0.43 per cent). The productivity of cashew in India as a whole was growing at the rate of 0.71 per cent per annum, while in Goa productivity was decreasing at the rate of -0.69 per cent per annum. To strengthen cashew exports, there is scope for increasing production by developing cashew as plantation crop on commercial basis, exploring new markets, and strengthening non-traditional markets, adding value to the product by introducing innovations in processing and branding them.

Key words: Distillation, GI(Geographical Indication), ,Tourism, Mining, Productivity