<p>Two hundred thousand cashew plants will be planted this year in 24 divisional secretary divisions of the Kurunegala district Under the Divineguma national development program. The program will be launched by the Sri Lanka Cashew Corporation. Ten thousand (quality R) seeds of cashew were distributed among farmers in the Kurunegala district. Cashew growers will be provided subsidies, know-how and agricultural implements free by the government.Cashew cultivation will be expanded on a commercial scale as there is a big demand for cashew nuts from Middle East and Western countries. The government has allocated Rs. 50 million for the purpose. One hundred and fifty young boys and girls from the Kurunegala and Puttalam districts will be trained in cashew cultivation.</p> <p><br /> <strong>Cashewinfo Views:</strong> Cashew does not appear among the top priority crops of Sri lanka and the island has a modest output of 15000 tonnes of RCN. Perhaps, the Govt. is realizing the potential of boosting cashew cultivation and processing for the country, which is so strategically located to serve the middle east and other countries. The step will have an overall positive impact on the cashew trade in the south-east Asian region and countries like India are expected to gain in the long term from the same due to enhanced trade activities.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p>