PM Narendra Modi will release two cashew hybrid varieties — ‘Nethra Jumbo-1’ and ‘Nethra Ganga’ — from the Directorate of Cashew Research (DCR), Puttur. The PM will release the varieties along with other other improved, climate resilient, nutrient rich varieties of various annual and horticultural crops at New Delhi on August 11.
‘Nethra Jumbo-1’ hybrid is developed by the DCR director Dr Dinakara Adiga and his team. Dr Adiga said that ‘Nethra Jumbo-1’ nut weighs 12 gm. More than 90 per cent of the nuts are of the same size. About 29-30 kg of kernel is obtained by processing 100 kg of raw cashew nuts. The hybrid has a higher grade kernel (W130) than the existing export standard grade W180. The variety saves labour costs to the tune of Rs 16,000 per tonne on picking nuts. The large size nuts fetch about Rs 10,000 or more per tonne. An additional profit of Rs 26,000 per tonne is possible with this hybrid. Due to its size, labour cost is saved in the factory as well, he said.
Nethra Ganga is developed under previous director in charge Dr Gangadhar Nayak and team. It weighs about 12 to 13 gram. It is a variety that flowers within a couple of years of planting and produces flowers and nuts for a long period (from December to April). The percentage of kernel in this variety is 29.5 per cent. He said the variety is suitable for cultivation in high density planting systems as it responds well to pruning. It yields more than 5 kg per plant in the third year itself.