Mangaluru: Bharat Agri Development Farmers Producer Company Ltd., a farmer producer organisation (FPO) based in Vittal, has received a licence to produce Cashew Special, a foliar nutrient formulation developed by scientists of the ICAR-Directorate of Cashew Research (ICAR-DCR), Puttur.The licence was issued under Karnataka govt’s PM RKVY-RAFTAAR project — ‘Development of Model Cashew Villages for Transforming Farm Livelihoods in Karnataka’.J Dinakara Adiga, director, ICAR-DCR, inaugurated the Cashew Special production unit at the FPO’s Vittal office on Thursday.Speaking at the inaugural programme, Adiga highlighted the importance of timely application of micronutrients to improve vegetative growth, fruit set and nut set in cashew. He urged the FPO to use the opportunity to supply quality products to farmers and other stakeholders.Veena GL, senior scientist, ICAR-DCR, and one of the developers of the formulation, said Cashew Special supplements key micronutrients as well as secondary nutrients such as potassium and magnesium. The formulation is expected to increase nut and cashew apple yields by 25-30%, the scientists said.Aswathy Chandrakumar, scientist and principal investigator of the PM RKVY-RAFTAAR project, said the initiative aims to popularise advanced cashew technologies and strengthen linkages between farmers, FPOs and research institutions. Prasad Shetty, managing director of Bharat Agri Development Farmers Producer Company Ltd., urged farmers to make use of the opportunities offered under govt schemes. He also stressed the role of collaborations in promoting improved agricultural technologies and supporting farming communities.Cashew is largely grown as a rainfed crop and is considered suitable for wasteland. Zinc and boron deficiencies are common in soils in many cashew-growing regions. Limited soil moisture during summer can also make soil application of nutrients difficult during critical stages such as flushing, flowering and fruiting.To address these challenges, a team of scientists led by Shamsudheen M, former principal scientist, soil science, ICAR-DCR, developed Cashew Special for foliar application in cashew orchards. The formulation is to be sprayed at a concentration of 0.5%, by mixing 5 g in one litre of water, during the flushing, flowering and nut-development stages each year.
