Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (NR)  
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
 
Mangalore, Mar 20: With a view to promoting cashew cultivation in the State, a ‘Cashew Field Day’ was organized at the Agriculture Research Station at Ullal-Kapikad, here on Wednesday March 19.  
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The programme was jointly organized by the Bangalore Agricultural University (BAU), Agriculture Research Centre (ARC) of Ullal, Cashew & Cicia Development Directorate of Kochi, Krishi Vignan Kendra, Mangalore, Shri Kshetra Dharmastala Rural Development Programme (SKDRDP) and DK Zilla Panchayat.

Before the inaugural of ‘Geru Bele Kshetrotsava’ addressing press persons on the sidelines, Dr G Eshwarappa, extension director, Bangalore Agriculture University (BAU), informed that around 60 Raita Samparka Kendras (RSK) in 17 districts will be brought under video conference umbrella with a view to educating farmers in the State.  
 
According to him, farmers would be provided updated information on modern technology through this project, at all centers. The project would be implemented within four months.  “Farmers can solve their problems through video conference at all RSKs, which will function under respective District Krishi Vigyan Kendras,” he informed. 
 
Moreover he informed, “The University has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the ISRO to uplink the programme and transfer the information to farmers.” And added that soil health card to provide information on the fertility of soil, would be distributed to all farmers. 
 
Speaking on the occasion the Regent member BAU, S D Sampath Samrajya informed that it although there were sufficient number of cashew nut processing units in the state, the production is comparatively lower. With proper irrigation and care, he opined, the yield can be increased by 50-60 per cent. 
 
Further he felt that there is a huge market for cashew apple processing industry, hence to source the cashew apples delegation from the state should conduct a study tour of Kerala, where the same are processed for various products, he advised. 
 
According to Kalbavi Prakash Rao, president of Karnataka Cashew Manufacturers Association (KCMA), the average productivity of cashew nuts in the nation was 650 kgs per hectare as against 2,000 kgs per hectare in Vietnam. He informed that the Cashew Export Promotion Council of India was aiming towards achieving 18 lac tonnes of cashew apples by the year 2020. The production of cashew apples could be improved through high density plantation, scientific pruning and usage of manures, he added.  
 
Also present on the occasion were Dr T R Guruprasad, assistant research director - Zonal Agricultural Research Centre (ARC), Brahmavara, Dr H Chandrappa, ARC director, Dr M G Bhat, director National Research Centre for Cashew (NRCC) Puttur, Dr Y Basavaraju, dean Mangalore Fisheries College, Dr C G Nagaraj, deputy director Horticulture department, Dr Prakash Hande chief manager Canara Bank, and Manoj Menezes director SKDRDP Agriculture.