<p></p><p>In a bid to ensure continuous supply of raw cashew nuts to ailing cashew factories in the state, the government is planning to contract cashew farming in large scale in the barren lands of Andhra Pradesh.As a follow-up to the discussions held with her Andhra counterpart by cashew industry minister Minister J Mercykutty Amma, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has written to Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu expressing state's interest in taking unused land on lease and cultivate cashew there. <br></p> <p>In Andhra Pradesh, Sreekakulam and Vijayanagaram have been identified as the places for cashew farming. The state has expressed interest in taking 50,000 hectares of land on lease for farming. The farming will be done under Kerala State Agency for Cashew Cultivation.The state government has prepared a detailed project report for this and the project is being planned to be implemented with the support of National Horticulture Mission. The horticulture mission will be giving 80% of the total project cost to the state and in the first-phase the state has demanded Rs 200 crore, said sources in the government. <br></p> <p>The farming will be done by the farmers of Andhra and the state would procure the produce. The state government will also be providing all the help for the cultivation. It is estimated to spend at least Rs 100 crore for this project.In addition to this state government has also decided to utilize the suitable land in the state for cashew cultivation so as to help the crisis-ridden cashew industry. It has been directed to report the suitable land in the state where cashew farming can be begun. <br></p> <p>Cashew cultivation will be introduced in coastal areas too and the responsibility of this farming will be given to fishing community such that they will have an additional income source. The government is eying to take up the entire domestic production of the cashew in the state. At present the state is producing only ten percent of the cashew required for the industry. The remaining is being imported from African countries by giving exorbitant charges<br></p><p></p>