Dr. V.B. Patel, Additional Director General, ICAR (Indian Council of Agriculture Research), has called for research on cashew to improve productivity, utilising advanced technologies. Addressing the annual group meeting of the All India Coordinated Research Project on Cashew at the Kerala Agricultural University, here, recently, he said the productivity should be raised to 3 metric ton per hectare from the current 0.75 metric ton. He urged the scientific community to assess the impact of newly developed varieties in cashew cultivation. “A good repository of genetic diversity of cashew is also being maintained by various centres and will serve as valuable materials for the future research. Research in a national network helps in wider dissemination of technologies and a better adoption by cashew farming communities,” said Dr. Patel. Around 50 Cashew scientists from various states attended the annual group meeting. Scientists representing states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Meghalaya, Gujarat, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Jharkhand were assembled at Kerala Agricultural University Campus, Thrissur, for the three-day annual review. Dr. B. Ashok, IAS, Vice Chancellor of the Kerala Agricultural University, presided over the function. He called for the integration of cashew industry in the research activities. Kerala Agricultural University has been consistently working to support cashew farmers of the state with improved varieties, technology recommendations, agri business opportunities and supply of quality planting materials. Intensive research on the crop has culminated in the release of several varieties which are popular even at the national level, he noted. “Recently the KAU introduced cashew apple wine developed at the Post Harvest Technology department of the College of Agriculture. The Cashew Research Station, Madakkathara, the pioneer institution working on value addition of cashew apple, has brought out seven commercial products from cashew apple. The station has also streamlined the technology for commercial cashew sprouts production, a traditional delicacy of Kerala. The efforts by various developmental agencies of Kerala for revival of the cashew sector have given a new dimension to the crop in Kerala,” said the Vice Chancellor. In the Kerala Agricultural University, a national-level research on cashew is being conducted at the Cashew Research Station, Madakkathara, Thrissur, and the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Pilicode, Kasaragod. As part of the annual meeting, the Cashew Research Station, Madakkathara, organized an exhibition of various commercial and traditional products of cashew apples. A few novel ready-to-drink non-alcoholic beverages from cashew apple were also displayed. Around 50 Cashew scientists from various states attended the annual group meeting. Scientists representing states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Meghalaya, Gujarat, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Jharkhand were assembled at Kerala Agricultural University Campus, Thrissur, for the three-day annual review. Dr. B. Ashok, IAS, Vice Chancellor of the Kerala Agricultural University, presided over the function. He called for the integration of cashew industry in the research activities. Kerala Agricultural University has been consistently working to support cashew farmers of the state with improved varieties, technology recommendations, agri business opportunities and supply of quality planting materials. Intensive research on the crop has culminated in the release of several varieties which are popular even at the national level, he noted. “Recently the KAU introduced cashew apple wine developed at the Post Harvest Technology department of the College of Agriculture. The Cashew Research Station, Madakkathara, the pioneer institution working on value addition of cashew apple, has brought out seven commercial products from cashew apple. The station has also streamlined the technology for commercial cashew sprouts production, a traditional delicacy of Kerala. The efforts by various developmental agencies of Kerala for revival of the cashew sector have given a new dimension to the crop in Kerala,” said the Vice Chancellor. In the Kerala Agricultural University, a national-level research on cashew is being conducted at the Cashew Research Station, Madakkathara, Thrissur, and the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Pilicode, Kasaragod. As part of the annual meeting, the Cashew Research Station, Madakkathara, organized an exhibition of various commercial and traditional products of cashew apples. A few novel ready-to-drink non-alcoholic beverages from cashew apple were also displayed.