TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: In its efforts to harness tourism as an engine for economic growth and development, the Tourism Department has mulled the idea of linking it up with the State’s agrarian economy and promoting two important cash crops ~ cashew and coconut to rake in the moolah. Production process, indigenous recipes and the cultural threads that weave these products into the lives of the people will also be highlighted.
“A special festival is being chalked out in April-May this year which will evolve around cashew and coconut,” said Nikhil Desai, Director of Tourism.
The festival which is aimed at drawing tourists will promote both crops and showcase the entire process of production from the raw produce to the processed product which is ready to be consumed. Thoughtfully, the Tourism Department has also sought to highlight the cultural dimension and how the cashew and coconut have influenced the lives of Goans from the kitchen to the counter.
Besides promoting indigenous recipes, there are around 500 products from coconut alone, which have drawn much interest among tourists and locals. The festival will also promote the flavours of the cashew and coconut from natural juices such as cashew juice and toddy to the processed urrack and feni.This idea of enmeshing agriculture and people’s lifestyles with tourism has emerged from appeals from the local industry to promote feni.
