Khulna University sprouts cashew nuts in salty land

Researchers of the University of Khulna have been successful in growing cashew nuts, a high-value cash crop, in the salty lands of the coastal region.

Under an initiative by the Agrotechnology department of Khulna University, researchers started to look into the possibilities of growing cashew nut trees in the district in 2018.

They cultivated 18 cashew nut plants in the varsity area experimentally and became successful. The trees begin to bear fruits.

Researchers said the success in growing cashew nut plants in Khulna will have a far-reaching impact on agriculture on the southern region of the country.

Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) (Khamarbari) Additional Deputy Director Jakia Sultana, who has been working on this project for the last four years, told The Business Post, “We have proved through our research that it is possible to cultivate cashew nuts on the saline and waterlogged areas of Khulna.

“If farmers apply fertilisers on the base of the trees twice a year, they will get a good yield from it. She said that any land appropriate for cultivating mango, jackfruit would be appropriate for the nuts,” she said.

“It can prove to be a cash crop for Bangladeshi farmers as it has a great value abroad and can add to the country’s export earnings,” the researcher added.

Cashew nuts have great demand abroad, precisely, around 50,000 tonnes a year, and the majority of the nut is imported.

The nut is pitched as a healthy snack, but it is increasingly being used as a base for curries, milky drinks, cakes and sweets to bring richness in flavour.

The cashew fruit’s seed, which is shaped like a kidney, dangles at the bottom and is rich in oil and protein.

The highly sought-after nut, once roasted and shelled, has a global market value of $14.9 billion in 2019 and is estimated to grow at 4.6 per cent between 2020 and 2025.

A kilogramme of cashew nut sells between Tk 800 and Tk 1,700, depending on the quality, in the local market.

In fiscal 2019-20, about 1,323 tonnes of cashew were produced, up 32.3 per cent from a year earlier, according to data from the agriculture ministry.

Given the rising per capita income, urbanization, and exposure to international cooking methods, cashews consumption will increase in Bangladesh and abroad.

The nut, though, can be cultivated on a large scale in Bangladesh: it grows in places where mango and tamarind trees thrive.

Monirul Islam, professor of Agrotechnology at Khulna University, told The Business Post, “According to the new findings of the research, it is possible to grow cashew nut trees on the saline land of Khulna. Even croplands, which are submerged by water, can be optimized to cultivate the nut.”

He also said that they would send the findings of the research to the DAE so that they can help the farmers to cultivate cashew nuts more efficiently.

Dr Nasreen Nahar, head of the Department of Nutrition and Food Science at KCC Women’s College, said that cashew nuts have numerous medicinal properties and are beneficial for the human body.

She said cashew nuts contain more Vitamin C than oranges. Due to their high price, cashew nuts are considered a delicacy in our country.

Hafizur Rahman, deputy director of the Khulna DAE, said there is enough demand for cashew nuts in the country despite its high prices.

“If any farmers of Khulna opt for cashew nut cultivation, we will provide them with all kinds of assistance,” the DAE official.