Leaves alternate, obovate to obovate-oblong, up to 20 cm × 15 cm, leathery, red-brown when young, later shining dark green, glabrous, with prominent midrib and veins petiole 1-2 cm long, swollen at base, flattened on upper surface.Stem branching, main trunk 0.5-1.5 m long. Taproot up to 3 m deep, persistent lateral roots spreading beyond the crown projection, with sinker roots to a depth of 6 m. The foliage forms a thin peripheral canopy, studded with the protruding inflorescences. Evergreen tree, up to 12 m tall, with a wide dome-shaped crown.Some persons are allergic to cardol CNSL should not contaminate the kernels during processing! The juice of the cashew apple is rich in riboflavin (vitamin B2), ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and calcium. The oil contains 60-74% oleic acid and 20-8% linoleic acid.ĬNSL contains 90% anacardic acid and 10% cardol. The seed contains 21% protein and 35-45% oil. The raw cashew nut contains the seed and a papery seed- coat these account for respectively 20-30% and 2-3% of the raw nut weight the remaining 70-75% is the nutshell. In Burma, nucleus plantations covering 2800 ha are planned in the south, a large expansion in relation to the national acreage of 1040 ha (producing 500 t) in 1985. Indonesia, by far the largest producer in the region, grows a sizeable proportion of the crop in plantations. ![]() For 1988 Thailand reported an area of 56 400 ha, half of which was in production, Malaysia 2780 ha, largely along the east coast of the Peninsula. In 1981 Indonesia had 138 463 ha cashew (increasing to 207 300 ha in 1985), and the Philippines 3790 ha. Only recently has it received attention as a crop. World production of raw nuts rose from 125 000 t in 1955 to 365 000 t in 1986, major contributions being made by East Africa (25%), Brazil (33%) and India (38%).Ĭashew is a well-known backyard tree in South-East Asia. From 1960 onwards, processing plants were set up in East Africa, following expansion of cashew growing. Indian export of cashew kernels rose to 20 000 t in 1940, equivalent to 100 000 t of raw nuts, of which around a third was imported from East Africa. All parts of the tree are also used in traditional medicine, mainly to treat ailments of the skin, as mouth washes and as purgatives.Įarly in the 19th Century cashew became a commercial commodity, mainly channelled through India, where most East African nuts were processed. Young leaves and shoots are eaten raw or cooked. Wounded trees exude a gum which is used as an adhesive (woodwork panels, plywood, bookbinding), partly because it has insecticidal properties. The residue of the shell is often used as fuel in the CNSL extraction plants.Ĭashew wood is used as fuel or as a low-quality timber. An oil, cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL), is produced in large cells of the pericarp it has industrial applications and is used as a preservative to treat, for instance, wooden structures and fishing nets. Cashew wine (slightly fermented juice) is enjoyed at harvest time and can be distilled to produce strong alcoholic drinks.īy-products are seed-coats and shells. In Brazil, Mozambique and Indonesia the cashew apple is also important it is eaten fresh or mixed in fruit salads, and a drink is prepared from the juice. The nut contains a high quality oil the cake remaining after extraction serves as animal feed. In production areas cashew serves as food. ![]() The seed kernels are extracted by shelling the roasted nuts. Botanically the nut is the fruit the cashew apple is the swollen, fleshy fruit stalk. At present cashew is cultivated in many tropical countries the main producers are Brazil, India, Mozambique and Tanzania.Ĭashew is cultivated for the nuts. The Spaniards took it to the Philippines in the 17th Century. It spread to Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Indonesia. The Portuguese introduced it to India and East Africa.
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