September 29, 2020: The Karnataka Cashew Manufacturers’ Association (KCMA) has opined that the recent approval by both houses of Parliament on Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill will help improve the growth of cashew sector in Karnataka.
KCMA members, at the 65th annual general meeting, were of the opinion that APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committee) had been a major obstacle for the growth of raw cashew trade in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts (the traditional cashew-growing regions in Karnataka).
Cargo gets diverted to Tuticorin port to avoid the APMC regulation. APMC was not only collecting the fee, but was also a major harassment to traders in general, said a statement issued by KCMA.
With the deregulation of APMC, New Mangalore Port would be active in attracting cargo to Mangaluru, as it will now become a major hub for raw cashew nut trade, they said.
Speaking on the occasion, Santhosh D’Silva of the Karkala-based Santhosh Cashews, who assumed charge as new President of KCMA for 2020-21, reiterated the need to focus efforts on increasing raw cashew nut production in Karnataka, as the cashew processing industry in Karnataka is growing at 20 per cent year on year.
The AGM also decided to focus on indigenous raw cashew nut production by getting more area under cashew cultivation in Karnataka and participate in the Prime Minister’s ‘Vocal for Local’ initiative.
Source: Hindu Business Line
