Untimely rains have destroyed cashew nuts worth Rs 3 crore in the Kannur district of Kerala, government sources said. Rains have discoloured cashew apples left in the trees and the loss of quality will make it non-tradable, Suresh Kumar of the Kannur District Agricultural Office said. It is estimated that 10,000 tonne of nuts have been damaged in rains that persisted for 7-8 days in the Kannur district.
Cashew apples, which are yet to be harvested, have been heavily affected, and the process of drying of the harvested crop has also been affected. Government sources say that nearly 25,000 tonne of cashew are produced in the Kannur district alone. The neighbouring Kasargod district has also seen damage to the cashew crop. Reports of damage due to rains are also pouring in from Mangalore and experts say that the total damage will be high. The price of the raw cashew kernel has fallen by almost 35% but traders are reluctant to procure the damaged kernels, Suresh said.
