Kochi, Oct 3: India's cashew exports have touched an all-time record of Rs 2452 crore this year at 92,461 tonnes, thus qualifying cashew as the second best emerging high value earning commodity in 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, said at a press conference held at Kochi on Tuesday.
With the global demand for cashew kernels expected to touch 12,40,000 tonnes this year, the industry expected a six to eight per cent growth, Mr Bharathan said.
However, during April-August 2000, exports declined by Rs 203 crore. With an oversupply situation and an ample stock position with the buyers abroad, international demand for cashew kernel came down, which had reflected in lower unit value realisation. While India exported 7341 tonnes of cashew kernels in August this year valued at Rs 177.43 crore, during the same period last year it was 9980 tonnes valued at Rs 267.85 crore, Mr Bharathan said.
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