PANJIM: Geographical Indication (GI) for Goan cashew nuts will go a long way to consolidate the importance of the cashew to the State’s culinary and cultural identity, opine hospitality industry stakeholders and local experts
On National Cashew Day, celebrated globally on November 23, culinary industry stakeholders and local experts help put in context the relationship and the interdependence between Goa and the nut and how the State can best leverage the relationship.
Goa Cashew Manufacturers’ Association president Rohit Zantye said that GI tag will help to put an end to misbranding of Goa cashew nuts as traders from other States were importing cashew nuts from other countries and selling them as Goa variety. While the Goan cashew nut being accorded a GI (geographical indication) tag in early October this year further consolidates the importance of the cashew to Goa’s food and cultural identity, the State’s culinary industry stakeholders believe that the cashew nut now empowered with a GI tag, could help consolidate Goa’s position in the broader culinary universe.
According to experts, the GI tag status now prevents cashew nuts imported from Africa being sold as Goan, carving out a special, marketable identity for the popular Goan nut. Amey Naik, joint secretary of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) Goa chapter, says that the GI tag for cashew nuts can bring Goa the same level of global recognition that tequila brought to Mexico.
“Cashew nuts are used as main ingredients in bibiyacho pulao (tender cashew nut pulao), caju bibiyachem xacuti (tender cashew nut xacuti), which are traditional preparations that our restaurant, Avo’s Kitchen in Assagao, offers diners,” says Naik.
In Goa, the current yield productivity as far as the cashew crop is concerned is 453 kg per hectare, according to Director of Agriculture Nevil Alphonso.
“At present, 56,934 hectares of land are assigned for cashew cultivation, which produces around 25,800 metric tonnes of cashew annually,” Alphonso said.
According to Marius Fernandes, fondly known as Goencho Festakar for the myriad of Goan culture-centric festivals he conducts, the Goan cashew has been deserving of the GI tag since the 1960s.
Now, with the GI tag rendering a special status to the Goan cashew nut, the need of the hour is to introduce schemes that prioritise cashew farmers, as the process of cultivating cashews is a year-long labour of love.
