Poriem MLA and chairperson of the Goa Forest Development Corporation (GFDC), Deviya Rane on Saturday pointed to a 40% demand-supply gap of cashews in the state due to which “duplicate” cashewnuts were being marketed as a local product.
Chief minister Pramod Sawant, meanwhile, said that the newly increased support price of Rs 150 per kg for cashew produce in Goa will now also be made available to farmers who sold their produce in the last financial year during the January-March 2023 quarter.
Both Rane and Sawant were speaking at the first Goa Cashew Festival 2023 organised by the GFDC at Panaji. Sawant said the festival will be held every year with the support of the .
Tourism minister Rohan Khaunte said his department would also collaborate with the GFDC from next year in organizing the cashew festival.
On her part, Rane said the main objective of the festival was to bring together all stakeholders and help improve cashew production in Goa from the present 24,000 tonnes to 40,000 tonnes.