About Cashew Nuts Farming in Kenya
Cashew Nuts Farming in Kenya: Cashew Nuts are grown in Coast Province of Kenya. The country produces about 10,000 metric tonnes of the nuts valued at Sh264.9 million. Kenya has a potential to produce more than 63,000 metric tonnes valued at Sh1 billion. The sub-sector has the potential to create employment through value addition and fetch the exchequer billions of shillings through exports.
The cashew nuts farming in Kenya faces the key challenge of low producer prices which has seen farmers cut down their trees. An intervention by the Government to ban exports after lobbying by local processors does not appear to be working as it led to oversupply and depressed prices.
Cashew Nuts Farming in Kenya – The Tree
The cashew-nut tree may be a quick raiser and an evergreen tropical tree. It grows to a height of 12 m. Blossoming takes place between November and January. Seedling trees flower in the third year after planting. The fruit ripens fully within 2 months.
Cashew Nuts Farming in Kenya – Inputs in Cashew Nut Production
The main inputs in cashew production includes;
- Seeds/seedlings, fertilizer
- organic manure:- DAP,farm yard and compost manures provide essential nutrients and also improve soil water holding capacity
- Pestcides& fungicide:- Inorganic fungicide /pestcides are used to control pest and diseases in Cashew.
- machinery and equipments:- Machinery and equipments used in cashew value chain includes,Motorized mist blowers / sprayer pumps,Power Saw,Pruning saw,Slashers,Jembes
Cashew Nuts Farming in Kenya – The Fruit (nut)
The nut is connected to the lower portion of the cashew apple that is conically shaped. The cashew (seed) hangs at the lowest of the apple and is c-shaped.
The cashew seed has within the outside shell the edible kernel or nut. In its raw form, the cashew kernel is soft, white and meaty. When roasted it changes colour and taste. Salted, it appeals to the palate as the most delicious nut.
Cashew apples and cashew nuts are excellent sources of nutrition. The cashew apple contains five times more vitamin C than an orange and contains more calcium, iron and vitamin B1 than other fruit such as citrus, avocados, and bananas.
Cashew shell oil extracted from the shells is caustic and causes burns on the skin. The secretion membranes of the mouth and throat are severely affected once it comes into contact with shell oil or the irritating fumes emitted throughout preparation. The oily shell liquid has many uses.
Cashew Nuts Farming in Kenya – Climatic Requirements
- Cashew trees are genuinely tropical and very frost sensitive.
- The trees grow in a wide spectrum of climatic regions between the 25 °N and S latitudes.
- Although the cashew can withstand high temperatures, a monthly mean of 25 °C is regarded as optimal.
- Yearly rainfall of 1 000 mm is sufficient for production but 1 500 to 2 000 mm can be regarded as optimal.
- The cashew tree has a well-developed root system and can tolerate drought conditions. Rain during the flowering season causes flower abortion due to anthracnose and mildew.
- During harvesting, while nuts are on the ground, rain and overcast weather causes the nuts to rot or start germinating.
- Nuts germinate within 4 days when lying on wet soil.
Cashew Nuts Farming in Kenya – Soil Requirements
The cashew is a strong plant that is renowned for growing in soils, especially sandy soils, that are generally unsuitable for other fruit trees. For the best production deep, well-drained sandy or sandy-loam soil is recommended. Cashew trees will not grow in poorly-drained soils.
Cashew Nuts Farming in Kenya – Establishment
Self-pollination and cross-pollination play an important role in the formation of cashew seed. Seedlings, therefore, show great variation and no “true to type” trees can be grown from seed.
Selected trees should preferably be multiplied by grafting or air layering because vegetative propagation will ensure the best production and quality. Trees that are precocious bearers and grow vigorously are selected.
Nuts should weigh between 8 and 9 g with a density of not less than 1,0.
Trees with yellow to grey-brown apples have exhibited the most resistance against anthracnose and are associated with the best production.
Cashew Nuts Farming in Kenya – Planting
Fresh seeds that sink in water are planted in an upright position in a planting bag containing a loose, sterilized soil mixture. Three to four seeds can be planted directly in the planting hole. The weakest ones are thinned out later and the strongest left to develop further. The seedlings are very susceptible to Phytophthora root rot. The plant bags should be 350 to 400 mm deep, as the tap-root grows very fast and bends around as soon as it touches the bottom.
Cashew Nuts Farming in Kenya – Grafting
Two grafting techniques, namely side grafting, and wedge grafting are practiced with success. Grafting should commence as soon as possible (seedlings of 3-4 months old) and planted out in the orchard to prevent the tap-root from bending.
Cashew Nuts Farming in Kenya – Seedlings
Cashew seedlings are grown under shade (45 %) and hardened off before planting in the orchard. It is very important not to disturb the root system during planting. Young trees should be supported for the first 2 to 3 years so that wind will not blow the plants over.
Cashew Nuts Farming in Kenya – Planting Distance
Planting distances of 8 x 5 m is recommended. The trees grow vigorously in the first 3 years and as soon as the crowns touch each other alternate trees should be removed until the permanent planting distance of 10 to 12 m is reached. Branches hanging on the ground should be removed because they interfere with harvesting. In other parts of the world, cashew trees bear well, in spite of the little attention devoted to the orchards.
Growth and production of cashew trees can be enhanced by establishing clonal orchards, and improving fertilizing and irrigation practices
Cashew Nuts Farming in Kenya – Fertilisation
The application of nitrogen and phosphate are important. Approximately 75 g LAN and 200 g superphosphate per year age of the tree is applied annually with a maximum of 750 g LAN and 2 kg superphosphate. Cashew trees are subject to zinc deficiency that can be treated with 200 g zinc oxide/100 l water applied as a leaf spray.
Cashew Nuts Farming in Kenya – Flowering to Harvest Time
Flowering is affected by weather conditions and also varies from tree to tree, but continues for a period of 3 months. High temperatures lead to earlier flowering. Both male and bisexual flowers are borne on one cluster. The flowers are very susceptible to mildew and control thereof on the leaves and flowers is a prerequisite for good production.
Pollination is mostly by insects. After pollination, it takes 6 to 8 weeks for the fruit to develop. The nut develops first while the apple develops and enlarges only 2 weeks before fruit fall. Nuts should be harvested as soon as possible, especially under wet conditions and should be dried before storage.
Cashew Nuts Farming in Kenya – Irrigation
Irrigation is important during the establishment of young trees because it doubles the growth tempo of young trees in a dry season. Due to the deep root system, the trees can survive several months without irrigation. Mature trees should receive 1 800 l of water per tree every 2 weeks.
Cashew Nuts Farming in Kenya – Weed control
Grass strips in the inter-rows between the tree lines are ideal to prevent erosion and should be cut regularly.
Cashew Nuts Farming in Kenya – Harvesting
Trees start bearing fruits when they are 2 ½ – 3 years old. They reach maturity after 9-10 years. Harvesting starts at the beginning of October and continues till the end of December.
The nuts are collected on a weekly basis during the dry season and on a daily basis during the wet weather to avoid fruit rotting or insect damage and stored in dry conditions
Sun dry raw nuts for one to six days to reduce the moisture content to 9% or less for safe storage. Correctly dried nuts are pinkish in colour and produce a rattling sound when shaken. No mark can be made on a dry nut with a thumbnail.
Cashew Nuts Farming in Kenya – Processing
The objective of cashew processing is to extract the healthy, tasty kernel from the raw nut in the shell. Most modern factories are designed to obtain the maximum number of whole nuts and as much shell oil as possible. There are 2 methods of nut processing; Traditional artisanal and industrial cashew processing. Processing can be subdivided into a series of steps.
Drying
Harvested nuts are dried in the sun for a few days. Properly dried nuts can be stored for 2 years before being shelled. Nuts are roasted to discharge the caustic shell oil and acrid fumes. Hand shelling is impossible if the shell oil has not been removed previously. Kernels must be protected from contamination by the shell oil because it would cause blisters in the mouth and throat when eaten. Before the nuts are roasted they must be soaked in water—the moisture in the shell facilitates the rupturing of the cells containing shell oil and retaining it in the shell. Moisture makes the kernel slightly rubbery and limits breakage of the kernels. The easiest method to wet the shells is to heap the nuts into big piles and to use sprinklers intermittently. Steam may also be used.
The simplest roasting method is to heat the nuts for about a minute in an open pan with holes. Acid fumes are released and if the nuts should catch fire the flames can be doused with water. A more efficient method is to use a slanting perforated cylinder that is rotated above a fire. The shell oil flows through the holes in the cylinder and is collected in a catch through. After the roasting process, the nuts are dumped into ash or sawdust to remove the excess shell oil still clinging to the shells.
Shelling
This is the most difficult operation in cashew processing. In India shelling is mostly done by cheap female labour. Shelling is carried out by using special wooden mallets and pieces of bent wire, at a rate of about 200 nuts per hour.
Mechanical shelling methods are difficult to design because of the irregular shape of the nut, hardness of the shell and brittleness of the kernel. In some mechanical processing plants, compressed air is used to crack the nuts. The latest Windmer and Ernst method is to cut a groove around the shell and to place the shells in a modified centrifuge fitted with metal plates. The nuts are thrown against the plates and cracked by centrifugal forces when the machine spins. It is possible to obtain 85 % whole kernels with this method.
Removal of the testa
Before the thin, papery seed coat (testa) can be removed, the kernels must be dried. Nuts are dried on big racks in an oven at 70 °c. The testa becomes dry and brittle and is easily removed. The remaining traces of the membrane are removed with bamboo knives. Modern factories use electronic machines to detect nuts with pieces of remaining testa which are then sorted and cleaned by hand.
Cashew Nuts Farming in Kenya – Grading
Cashew nuts are graded into the FAQ (Fair Average Quality) and UG (Under Grade)
Kernels, whole and broken, are sorted into 6 grading schedules. There is only a small demand for broken or dark and unevenly roasted kernels.
Cashew Nuts Farming in Kenya – Packaging
- Kernels are dried to 3 % moisture content before they are packed.
- Drying is necessary to extend shelf life and prevent fungal and other infections.
- Dried kernels do not become rancid.
- Nut kernels of export quality are vacuum packed in tins.
Cashew Nuts Farming in Kenya – Marketing
Marketing of raw cashew nuts has gone through many changes since the 1970s when cashew was a scheduled crop. At that time the responsibility of buying raw cashew nuts was given to the NCPB as the sole government agents who also appointed cooperative societies as agents.
Later marketing was liberalized and the system was opened to all and sundry bringing in other players such as agents and traders who purchased and sold the nuts to Kenya Cashew nut LTD, the only major processor at that time.
Currently, marketing of raw cashew nuts in Kenya involves simple linkages of farmers to processors, exporters through middlemen
Cashew Nuts Farming in Kenya – By-products
Shell oil represents about a quarter of the mass of an unshelled nut and approximately equal to that of the kernel. This fluid, that is not oil as the term “shell oil” indicates, but a mixture of anacardic acid and cardol is the main by-product.
There are more than 200 registered patents of different uses of shell oil. One of the most important uses is in the manufacture of brake linings. Shell oil is used in the manufacture of numerous materials that have to be resistant to heat, friction, acids and caustic products, for example, clutch plates, special isolators, varnish, and plastic materials. The wood is insect repellent and used in making bookcases and packing crates. The gum is a replacement for gum arabic and used as insect repellent glue in book bindings. In the nut and the apple, a compound has been found that combats tooth decay.
The apple is highly perishable but very healthy. It can be eaten fresh or juiced. Syrup, wine, brandy, gin, preserved fruit, pickles, and glazed fruit are also made from the cashew apple. In Brazil, fresh cashew-apples are packed in trays and marketed in retail fresh produce outlets.
The indigenous people in cashew-producing regions use different parts of the plant such as the leaves, bark, gum, wood, juice, and roots for the preparation of local medicines or insect-repellent mixtures. The bark is rich in tannins and is used in leather tanning. The papery seed coat around the kernel can serve as cattle feed.
Cashew Nuts Farming in Kenya – Exports
The processed products find their way to both local and international markets, tourism industry and confectionary processors. Export Market to India, Netherlands, Israel, Pakistan, Tanzania, Angola, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.