<p></p><p>Brazil's Votorantim Institute and federal development bank BNDES have invested more than BRL1 million (USD416,134) in a new project to expand cashew nut production and processing in Itabaiana municipality, in the north-eastern state of Sergipe.</p> <p>The funds were used to support the Itacastanha project that helped to set up a new Coobec cashew nut processing cooperative in Carrilho and to modernise an existing cashew nut processing plant by purchasing cold chambers, new ovens and other processing equipment. The new cooperative and reformed processing unit were officially launched on 8 February. </p><p> </p><br><p></p>