(a) whether the Government has promoted cashew through technology dissemination in the State of Andhra Pradesh;
(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
(c) whether the Government has taken any steps to promote research and development for innovation and technology in cashew sector; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
(SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)
(a) & (b) : The Directorate of Cashewnut and Cocoa Development (DCCD) under Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) is regularly conducting various training programmes for farmers and also holding Seminars, Conferences and Horticulture fairs to promote Cashew in the State of Andhra Pradesh in association with State Agriculture Universities, ICAR Institute and Department of Horticulture, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh. In the state of Andhra Pradesh, for the past five years, total 27 Trainings/ Seminars/ Exposure Visits/ Fairs were organized for promotion of cashew under the technology dissemination activities.
In addition, DCCD has also implemented various promotional measures in 15 states under MIDH and RKVY to enhance domestic production to feed the requirements of cashew industries. During the past five years from 2017-18 to 2021-22, approx. one lakh hectare area was covered under these programmes and around Rs. 200 crores were spent on these promotional measures.
(c) & (d) : ICAR -Directorate of Cashew Research, Puttur under MoA&FW is making strenuous efforts to promote overall growth in cashew through enhancement of production and productivity and undertake strategic, basic and applied research for enhancing productivity, quality, processing efficiency and value addition of cashew. In addition, a centre of All India Coordinated Research Project on Cashew is working at Cashew Research Station (Dr. YSR Horticultural University) Bapatla, Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh.
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