The unit value realisation is also up from Rs 201.32 per kg in 1998-99 to Rs 256.77 per kg in the current year. Export earnings in US dollars are also up from $170.11 million to $189.69 million.

According to the Cashew Export Promotion Estimates (CEPC), the import of raw cashewnuts were to the tune of 99,663 tonnes valued at Rs 415.86 crore for a period between April-August 1999-2000, up from the previous year's figures of 71,719 tonnes at Rs 245.56 crore during the corresponding period.

According to CEPC chairman P Bharathan Pillai, to promote exports, there is need to to boost production. Only a plantation status for the crop will enhance production, Pillai said at CEPC's 44th annual generalmeeting held recently. The country imported raw nuts to the tune of 1.80 lakh tonnes valued at Rs 693.17 crore during 1998-99.

The domestic production at 3.50 lakh tonnes during 1998-99 was better than the previous year but still down from the earlier 1996-97 production figures of 4.30 lakh tonnes. Putting together the imported raw nuts and the domestic production, they stand far short of running all the processing units to full capacity, which is 8 lakh tonnes.

For the fiscal 1998-99, cashew kernel exports contributed 1.14 per cent of the total export earnings of the country. However, exports of cashewnut shell liquid declined to Rs 3.26 crore during the year from Rs 7.17 crore during the previous year.

The average unit value realisation of cashew kernel increased to Rs 214.58 for 1998-99 against Rs 182.28 during the previous year.

The United States continues to be the largest buyer followed by Netherlands. A quantity of 33,631 tonnes of cashew kernels valued at Rs 716.7 crore were imported by the USin 1998-99 while Netherlands imported 14,140 tonnes valued at Rs 303 crore.