Farmers in Bicholim taluka have expressed concern over the delayed cashew crop season, anticipating a drop of over 45% in yield this year. They attribute the decline to adverse climatic conditions, including unseasonal rains and delayed flowering and fruiting. “Fluctuations in temperature and humidity have negatively impacted the pollination process, affecting fruit set. Additionally, increased pest infestation and disrupted flowering patterns have further reduced the yield. The natural flowering cycle has been delayed, pushing back the fruiting season,” said former Deputy Director of Agriculture and prominent farmer Satish Dev from Netravali-Sanguem. He added that diseases such as anthracnose, inflorescence blight, shoot rot, and leaf fall are affecting cashew trees and fruits. “In the case of anthracnose, certain caterpillars feed on cashew foliage, and severe attacks require spraying of carbaryl to control pest infestations. Insects can cause deformed leaves, lesions on shoots and dieback,” Dev said. Dev also pointed out that dieback or “pink disease” caused by the fungus Corticiumsalmonicolor is common in cashew trees, particularly during the southwest monsoon. “It spreads from the top downwards, giving the tree a barren appearance. Heavy rains further aggravate the problem,” he said. Farmers in the region have struggled to take preventive measures due to persistent rains until November last year. “This year, we couldn’t carry out the usual pest control sprays in May-June and October-November. As a result, pests have severely affected cashew fruits, and the yield could drop by about 50%,” said Atnakar Govekar, a farmer from Bandar-Vhavti. Rayu Sawant, a cashew cultivator from Sarvan, said the delay in the crop season will have financial consequences. “Labour costs are very high. Before the cashew season begins, we must clear dry leaves, trim branches, and cut thick bushes to facilitate fruit collection. This initial preparatory work costs around Rs 10,000 per acre,” he said. He urged the government to increase the support price for cashew nuts to Rs 200 per kg. “The price has only been raised from Rs 140 to Rs 170 per kg, but given the 50% drop in yield—from 500 kg to 250 kg in my case—it is not enough,” Sawant said. Farmers from Athdev, including Amakant Matonkar, echoed these concerns, warning that the cashew season delay could severely impact cultivators. Mahadev Govekar from Vhavti and Prasad Umarye from Naigini also expressed worry over the declining yield. In addition to farmers, local distilleries have also been affected. “In Bicholim taluka, not a single local distillery unit has started production yet due to the unavailability of cashew fruits. The season is delayed by over a month. I usually get my first batch of cashew ‘urrak’ by mid-February, but this year, it might be late March,” said Pradeep Sawant. Mahadev Govekar, who produces ‘urrak’ and cashew ‘feni’ by sourcing fruits from Dodamarg and Bhedshi in Maharashtra, said even those areas have not seen cashew fruits ripen. “This period is usually the peak of the cashew season, but this year, the crop has been severely impacted,” he said. Farmers say the prolonged delays have not only affected cultivators, but also workers and distillery unit owners who depend on the cashew industry.