Announcement: Thank you for your participation in the 17th Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards. Congratulations to all our winners!

There Is Money That Ever Cashew?

by: Joel Carl Contrivida of Bandillo Palawan
2007 Best Agriculture Feature Story - Regional

The cashew is one of the main claims or products Queensland fruit. This is the theme of the meeting at whenever it wants tourists to take home presents in their place. But with money that ever cashew?

This is the main question in the recent Investment Forum on Cashew Department of Agriculture (DA), Region IV-B with the theme “Cashing in on Cashew” held at Legend Hotel this February 7. Attended by traders, suppliers, agriculturist and cashew farmers in the province and across the country.

The cashew or “cashew” in English (Anacardium Occidenatale L is the scientific name of it) is said to come from Brazil. Pinapaniwalaang went in South Asia particularly in the Philippines (and here in Palawan) by birds, bats, monkeys and more. Now almost all tropical countries have it.

Based on records, the cashew considered the second most important nut in the world followed by almond boung. And according to the record of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2005 the Philippines is in the 15th spot as top cashew PRODUCING countries, which leads to record the country Vietnam, India and Brazil.

In the Philippines, according to DA-Region IV-B Director Roberto Masbang, 90 percent of the country’s cashew supply writings-province of Palawan. According to the records of the Provincial Agriculturist Office has 6,290,954 cashew trees across Queensland including municipalities in the island. In the Northern part of the city leading to sur Roxas and the city of Puerto Princesa with many plants that cashew. On the island municipalities in turn leads the Agutaya.

As well as the record has 2 classes or types of cashew in the world: the Yellow Yellowish Red Fruited variety and variety. Over time it had different types and shapes developed in the senysa by cultivation. Palawan has six classes usually visible. We know them now in the name of the discovered here. This is the kind of Mitra, Fernandez, Recto, Gonzales, Caliwag and Eleazar.

The message of the officers who attended the forum, said the representative of Kong. Antonio Alvarez of the first district of the province’s cashew “Gold Nut” the Mimaropa region but do not hide the fact that many of its farmers are still poor until now. On the other hand the spokesman Kong. Abraham Mitra of the second district has long been waiting for innovative research and technology local cashew industry in Palawan. As the representative of Mayor Edward Hagedorn also named KGD. Gregorio said Austria dream to make “Cashew PRODUCING capital” of the country’s Puerto Princesa.

What are the benefits to cashew

As alleged palm tree tree of life, the raw cashew nuts also equals the coconut so by given to people and the environment. The tree, supposedly, are good plants for reforestation especially in the land is not good for plant and rarely visited by rain.

Fruit or cashew apple is delicious to eat. It is also done with candy, syrup, wine, jams, pickles, and more. High level of ascorbic acid that five times more high in citrus.

The juice of the cashew apple can make vinegar and wine. It is a great drug to any abdominal pain, vomiting, insomnia and so on.

The seeds of the cashew or saying “kernel” it is often we see that as selling anything upward of tourists or visitors. It is usually bought as a parched, brittle, tart, and much more. The skin of the cashew tree is also source of ink for ink pen.

The cashew tree leaves become the root also known as alternative medicine for any kind of burn, diarrhea, toothache and more.

Why expensive price cashew?

Even here in Palawan is much to love the price of cashew. Should he said is more expensive the place we bought it for our products. But even the price is unpredictable and unstable.

According to a trader who attended the conference, the best taste of cashew U Palawan. He said initially the reason why the price of raw cashew love is hard and long process that needs to be done before it sold in the market. Second is the fact that four months this season’s harvest or harvest a year. Mapipitas only the cashew fruit from February to May. The unsold cashew out of the month during the harvest the farmers kept waiting for expensive store. Now a kilo of cashew seeds that have not been bought natatangal shell P15 to P40 beams. While the whole kernels or those most cashew nut is available in the amount of P240 to P300, and the share or split cashew nuts are purchased from P120 to P200 per kilo’s.

The common pathway of a selling process cashew starts with buying seeds. Ibibilad them to dry before defragmented kalukati or those pambiyak cashew seeds. After this susungkutin it to his house on the bone and tatanggalan Testa said second skin or those seeds of cashew. Then ibibilad them and wash. Ii steam to remove the itchy its taste and the next step is up to the cooked sell, the usually frying or pagsangag.

Problem cashew industry

According to Prof. Estrella equina Western Philippines University, 1980’s already started researching their universities about cashew. They made different types of products from cashew but up to the present is still not sexual activities take off in his local market.

“Packaging the problems we wpu, no matter how wonderful it would be if we the product packaging is not ugly as well, hopefully there are investors or funding agencies to help us” said equina.

He said equina want to buy the apple cashew fruit or those usually thrown just farmers. But due to the limited capital funds and they are not they all do it. According equina estimated one million pesos they will wpu for mapakapag-making of great vessels and bottles for their products.

Even the small traders of cashew in the city is ugly aminadong their packaging. They also said no enough capital money to buy the fancy wrapping or to customize them. So what happens is they are forced to sell the cashew traders in Tokyo where it has good facilities and equipment to process the cashew until the re-pack it.

One effective technology chopping cashew seeds or those acts are Palawan innovative kalukati: This invention Palawenyong John Pontillas in wpu. This technology is used in various places in the country and current pinaparami and sale of a school in Central Luzon.

Asan Money with cashew?

According to businessman Henry Fernandez HMF general merchandize in Tokyo, actually have money in cashew. As the importer or select cashew, the capital of P10, 000 can reach 30% of the profit and sometimes still is 50% return on investment.

And tree planting cashew is the target niyo, With sweetness should know that after 3 years or more sometimes takes four to seven years before bearing fruit a cashew tree.

Presentation of the Provincial Agriculturist Office, a hectare planted 156 cashew trees are expected to be able to producing a 300-seed to a tree bearing fruit for the first time after three or four years. Estimated five thousand pesos or more of its income in the first three years of the fruit where the cost to be reduced Abuno, irrigation and hire people. Within ten years is expected to reach fifty thousand profit in nut, and based it on sale just bone and may not include earned from fruit or those of cashew apple.