Forget about millions of shillings cashew farmers make every season for export of Raw Cashew Nuts (RCN), growers can generate more if value-addition of cashew by-products is well utilised. Cashew apples are among the by-products that through value-addition, can produce juice, wine and many other products that would economically benefit cashew farmers. However, farmers in cashew growing regions are either ignorant or lack capacity building of appropriate use of value-addition technologies in order to get the intended economic benefits. Statistics from cashews experts say, a kilo of RCN comes from nine kilogrammes of cashew apples that have for years been left rotting in the fields. The only uses of cashew apples have included being eaten raw and productio of some local brew. It is because of the fruit benefits that Jabari Company located in Tandahimba District in the region decided to research how value-addition could be done in order to benefit farmers and the country at large. “These struggles enabled us to understand what our Senegal counterparts were doing. Therefore, we started adding value to the product by producing ‘alternative meat’ from cashew apples,†says company’s director Mahamood Sinani. “Later on, we commenced formal communications with the Senegalese. We asked them to dispatch a team of experts who would train us on professional value-addition,†he added. He says the Senegalese officials arrived in the country and trained female workers who positively responded to the training. The director, whose company also deals in cashew processing, says instead of leaving 90 percent of cashew apples rotting in the fields, farmers have now found new hope of getting more benefits from cashewnut farming. “If the country produces 250,000 tonnes of RCN, then over one million tonnes of cashew apples can be obtained annually. The same can be dried to give ‘alternative meat’ for export,†he said. He said this season, the company has exported 500 kilogrames of ‘alternative meat’ to Sweden where it has found a market and therefore increasing areas of trade between the two countries. However, he said cashew apples are perishable goods, giving a serious challenge in the storage and sustainability of the value-addition process. “The Senegalese have managed to access more markets with the product abroad. We have just signed this agreement with a company in Sweden. Therefore, cashew farmers should wake up and tap the opportunity,†he says. According to him, farmers in countries like Brazil generate more money from products produced from value-added cashew apples. Clarifying how value-addition is done, company’s manager Roggers Njama says once fresh cashew apples are received at the factory, they are properly cleaned and dried for about nine hours in order to reduce moisture content. “Dried cashew apples are ready for export. However, we are looking for more markets abroad that need ‘alternative meat’ and therefore increase opportunities to cashewnut farmers and the country’s economy,†he says. He reveals that cashew apples harvested withing four to five hours were good for value-addition and that proper packaging is also recommended. “If you want to consume them as skewered meat then they are supposed to be mixed with spices like ginger, garlic and pepper. They are left for several hours before they are put on fire. The taste will be exactly like skewered meat,†he says. Furthermore, he says they buy 80 kilogrammes of cashew apples at between Sh3,000 and Sh4,000 which is equivalent to Sh37.5 and Sh50 per kilo. He says the factory gets 40 kilogrammes of ‘alternative meat’ from the 80 kilogrammes of cashew apples, noting that however they were getting a little profit. Tandahimba District Commissioner Colonel Patrick Sawala says the factory has been creating new opportunities to cashew farmers in the district. “Jabari has changed everything especially the perception that cashew apples were worthless to farmers in cashewnut growing regions,†he says. However, he says more studies need to be carried in order to come out with other benefits such as using cashew apples for production of juice, wine and biscuits, the move that will significantly benefit farmers in the first district for cashews production across the country. Cashewnut Board of Tanzania (CBT) acting director general Francis Alfred says efforts are underway to underscore other products that could be produced from cashew apples. “More studies are required in order to benefit farmers and the country not only from the sale of RCN, but products from value-added cashew apples,†he says. He names the products that could be produced from cashew apples as wine, meat, ethanol and juice, emphasizing that CBT was closely following up the developments in order to broaden benefits farmers were getting. The National Defence College (NDC) principal Major General Ibrahim Mhona says during his recent visit at the factory that Tanzanians should do away with the traditional export of raw materials. “I visited the Tanzania Agriculture Research Institute (Tari)-Naliendele where I saw that the institution, apart from normal research responsibilities, was also adding the value of products like cashews, sesame, groundnuts and cashew apples,†he says. He says a similar experience was witnessed at the Tandahimba and Newala Cooperative Union (Tanecu) as well as Jabari Factory something that has convinced him that Tanzanians can do a lot once they have decided. “When we speak of value-addition, we are supposed to do so. That is why the company has managed to export,†he says, noting that the company’s efforts should be replicated by other players in the country. He says the company attracted farmers to sell cashew apples, therefore creating opportunities to cashew farmers, promising to taste the product that has impressed him. Tari-Naliendele deputy director Fortunatus Kapinga says cashew apples are rich in Vitamin C as compared to the amount present in oranges. According to him, apples are also rich in zinc and iron, noting that products from cashew apples consisted with higher nutritional values. “Value-addition technology which is used to cashew apples is the first of its kind in the country. It has come to give answers to long-time outcry on the value addition to cashew products in growing regions,†he says. He says most farmers have been leaving cashew apples rotting in their farms while they could be used for production of a large number of other products and get economic benefits. Dr Kapinga says nine litres of cashew apples juice could be used to produce four to five litres of wine that when sold could enable farmers fetch anywehere up to Sh100,000. The expert in the cashewnut research says value-addition to cashew apples was an important opportunity and development towards promoting the economy of individual farmers and the country at large.