India's cashew exports have touched an all-time record of Rs 2452 crore this year at 92461 tons, thus qualifying it as the second best emerging high value earning commodity in the Government of India's perspective. During the last two years, the Industry underwent a sea change, particularly in processing, upgrading, packaging and adopting ISO/HACCP for cashew processing units, Chairman of the Cashew Export Promotion Council of India, P. Bharathan Pillai, told a press conference in Kochi on Tuesday. “With the global demand for cashew kernels expected to touch 12,40,000 tons this year, the industry expected a six to eight per cent growth,” he said.
However, during April-August 2000, exports declined by Rs 203 crore. With an over supply situation and ample stock position with the buyers abroad, international demand for cashew kernel came down, which had reflected in lower unit value realization. While India exported 7341 tons of cashew kernels in August this year valued at Rs 177.43 crore, during the same period in 1999, it was 9980 tons valued at Rs 267.85 crore, informed the chairperson Bureau Report