The Hindu Business Line : Plea to shift cashew research station

Visakhapatnam May 25 There is an urgent need for shifting the cashew research station at Bapatla in Guntur district to Visakhapatnam district, as the three north-coastal districts of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam account for the bulk of crop production and the processing units, according to Dr S. Eswar Reddy, senior scientist (horticulture), cashew research station.

In a note submitted to the Union Minster of State for Mines, Mr T. Subbarami Reddy, here on Friday and released to the press, Dr Eswar Reddy said the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) had suggested to the Acharya N.G Ranga Agricultural University (Hyderabad) to shift the All-India Co-ordinated Research Project on Cashew from Bapatla to the north-coastal region, preferably Visakhapatnam.

Dr Reddy said that Andhra Pradesh ranked first in cashew cultivation area, with 165,560 hectares. He said the area under cashew cultivation in the three north-coastal districts amounted to 74,979 hectares with a production 46,039 of million tonnes. There were 173 processing units in the three districts, with Srikakulam accounting for 160.

He has requested the Union Minister to prevail upon the State Government to allot 100-150 acres for the establishment of the research station.

Better varieties

Dr Reddy said that so far the cashew research station at Bapatla had developed eight improved varieties and different agro techniques suited for soils in Guntur district. "There is a need to develop better varieties suited to the red loamy soils and red sandy soils in the north-coastal districts. A new orientation of research is required, which will be possible only in the Vizag district," he pleaded in the note.

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