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A three-day ‘Kaju Centennial Summit – 2025’ to commemorate 100 years of cashew processing successful Mangaluru volition commencement successful the metropolis from November 14.
Union Minister of State for Labour, Employment, and MSME Shobha Karandlaje volition inaugurate the summit, organised by Karnataka Cashew Manufacturers’ Association (KCMA), Mangaluru, astatine TMA Pai International Convention Centre. The taxable of the acme is ‘Honouring past and embracing future’.
Addressing the property present connected Friday (November 7), A.K. Rao, president, KCMA, said that Mangaluru is the birthplace of India’s organised cashew industry.
He said that the archetypal organised cashew mill was established successful Mangaluru successful 1925 by the British institution Peirce Leslie India Ltd., locally known arsenic the Maidan Factory, successful Jeppu. In those aboriginal years, cashews were exported successful beverage chests and woody boxes to Kochi and past shipped abroad, often arriving determination spoiled.
In the 1930s, the archetypal packaging innovation — c dioxide-infused tin containers — revolutionised cashew exports. This marked the opening of Mangaluru’s singular travel arsenic a pioneer successful cashew technology, Mr. Rao said.
Mangaluru has since introduced respective firsts to the cashew industry. The mechanical cashew cutting device, popularly called Venkappa’s Kattary, was invented by section mechanic Venkappa, who was from Bunder successful Mangaluru. The steam cooking process, inactive utilized crossed the satellite today, was besides archetypal introduced successful Mangaluru, helium added.
Mr. Rao further said that from 5 factories successful 1940, the manufacture has grown to implicit 250 units successful and astir Mangaluru. Karnataka’s cashew processing capableness has expanded from 70,000 tonnes during 1970–1980 to 5 lakh tonnes now, accounting for 25% of India’s full cashew processing.
He said that New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) has played a pivotal relation successful this growth. Raw cashews imported done NMPA cater to Goa, Maharashtra, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
During April-October 2025, NMPA imported 3.45 lakh tonnes of cashew and recorded 44% growth, arsenic opposed to 2.38 lakh tonnes imported past twelvemonth during the aforesaid period. With the East African import play conscionable beginning, imports are projected to transverse 5.20 lakh tonnes this year, astir 45% higher than the erstwhile year.
“Mangaluru’s cashew is present the planetary benchmark successful quality,” Mr. Rao said.
With sustained growth, Karnataka is acceptable to process implicit 35% of India’s cashew output by 2030, firmly establishing itself arsenic the cashew authorities of India, the president said.
Kalbavi Prakash Rao, convener, Kaju Centennial Summit, Tukaram Prabhu, vice-president, Amith Pai, secretary, and Ganesh Kamath, treasurer, KCMA, were present.
