Ratnagiri Cashew: A hidden gem in Konkan going through world competitors

atnagiri (Maharashtra), Might 06 (ANI): Nestled in Ratnagiri’s scenic landscapes, well-known for its Alphonso mangoes, lies one other treasure known as Ratnagiri cashew, hailed because the world’s best. Regardless of its wealthy flavour and superior vitamin, the cashew business within the Konkan area faces challenges from world competitors. Native farmers and processors are struggling amidst the attract of cheaper imports from African international locations. India’s cashew business confronts challenges with African seed imports and Vietnamese competitors, signalling a bleak outlook. Vietnam dominated the worldwide cashew market in 2022, exporting USD 2.7 billion price of cashews, in comparison with India’s USD 339.2 million in exports from April 2023 to March 2024, as per Commerce Ministry information.

Talking to ANI, Hrushikesh Paranjape, Managing Director of Paranjape Agro Merchandise knowledgeable, “The cashews of Konkan belt are the very best cashews on the earth by way of high quality. It’s a reward from the Portuguese. The protein content material of those cashews are excessive and they’re very candy additionally and never many individuals find out about this.”Lamenting concerning the challenges the cashew business is going through, he mentioned, “Native processors discover themselves at an obstacle as a result of worth differentials between imported and home cashews. This season, uncooked cashews had been bought at Rs 110 per kilogram domestically, whereas imports from Africa price between Rs 90 to 95 per kilogram.”