Question : Cashew Board in Kerala

(a) whether the Government proposes to set up a Cashew Board in Kerala;
(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
(c) whether the Government has received any proposal from the State Government of Kerala for establishing a Cashew Board;
(d) if so, the details thereof;
(e) whether the Government has sanctioned any amount for the development of cashew sector in the present budget; and
(f) if so, the details thereof along with the funds allocated for the said sector during each of the last five years and the current year?

THE MINISTER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)
(a) At present, there is no proposal for setting up a Cashew Board in Kerala.
(b) Directorate of Cashewnut and Cocoa Development under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare is entrusted with overall development of cashew sector whereas the Cashew Export Promotion Council of India, under the aegis of Department of Commerce, is responsible for promoting exports from the cashew sector. As such, there is no requirement of setting up a Cashew Board.
(c & d) No proposal for creation of Cashew Board from the State Government of Kerala is currently under consideration.
(e & f) Details of budget allocation to the Directorate of Cashewnut and Cocoa Development (under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare) is as under:


(Rs. in lakhs)
Year Directorate of Cashewnut and Cocoa Development
2014-15 1959.81
2015-16 1517.71
2016-17 1006.45
2017-18 1058.94
2018-19 325.13
2019-20 458.66

In addition, Department of Commerce has allocated Rs.2110 lakhs to Cashew Export Promotion Council of India(CEPCI) to promote the exports w.e.f. 2014-15 to 2019-20.
The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare have also approved a programme for expansion of area under cashew to the extent of 1.20 lakh ha, from 2017 to 2022, under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH). Assistance is also provided to cashew exporters under various schemes of Department of Commerce viz. Market Access Initiative (MAI) Scheme, Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS) etc.

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