March 24th, 2007 | admin

Cashew nut, Anacardium occidentale belongs to the plant family anacardiaceae. Cashew nut is popular around the world for its unique taste. Cashew nut is the seed found inside the fruit seen at the bottom of brightly colored pseudo-fruit. The red or yellow part that appears to be the fruit is actually modified flower.

The tree is cultivated mostly in dry areas. The trees require little attention. Once it starts bearing fruits, it continues to do so for many years. The tree is planted in extremely harsh situations with rock-hard ground, which is hardly suitable for any other crops.

Cashew nut is also considered a great source of minerals, proteins and fat. Kerala plays the leading roll in cashew nut exports from India.