<p>Panaji: Chief minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday urged the cashew exports promotion council of India to help the state government increase cashew production in the state for which the state government will bear 80 percent of the cost. He assured the cashew industry that he would place its demands before the Union government for withdrawal of 5 percent export duty and the setting up of a cashew board.Speaking at the inauguration function of KajuIndia 2017, the global cashew summit, Parrikar said that while India is the biggest producer of cashewnut, almost producing around 8 lakh tonnes last year, the cashew processing industry needs around 14 lakh tonnes which requires imports."The cashew exports promotion council of India has asked for an office in Goa. I will give it on one condition. If you work out a plan for Goa to improve production from plantations, government will bear 80 percent of the cost," Parrikar said."Let us try and build up a model, something like 1,000 to 2,000 hectares of land where production can be increased. Goa is one of the lowest-producing states though the cashewnut is tasty," Parrikar said, adding production is 600 to 650kg per hectare in the state. He said he would speak to Union commerce and industry minister Suresh Prabhu on the industry's demands.</p>