[India] GMF criticises misinformation on drop in cashew prices

May 28, 2019

MARGAO: Chairman of Adarsh Krishi Vikas Sangathana and Goa Marketing Federation (GMF) on Monday, lashed out at the act of ‘some leaders’ for their role in trying to incite farmers over the drop in the prices for procurement of cashew nuts from farmers, without knowing the true facts. 

Images by The Hindu Newspaper

While asserting that the Marketing Federation has nothing to do with procurement prices, he said the federation is preparing a farmers market in Ponda at the cost of Rs. 30 crore and whose second phase is expected to be completed by the year end.

Besides, he said the federation is also working on establishing similar markets at Margao, Mapusa, Sanquelim and Curchorem. “The main task of the federation is to provide infrastructure for farmers to sell their produce,” he said.

However, while admitting that the procurement prices of cashew nuts have dropped, he said his Adarsh society is also affected as they have purchased nuts from the farmers but are finding it difficult to sell them as many industries in Kerala have crashed.“The procurement price of cashew nuts has dropped to Rs. 130 per kg from the Rs. 160 per kg that was there last year,” he said adding that this was primarily because the international price of cashew nuts has slumped.

He disclosed that African nations wanted to process their cashew nuts but as that did not happen, the international market had excess raw cashew nuts available for processing and this resulted in the prices dropping in Goa.

“Besides one has to also consider the fact that cashew production has increased tremendously in Maharashtra and other parts of the country,” he said.

Reported by TEAM HERALD

Source: HERALD GOA INDIA 

[Ghana] Over 150,000 cashew grafts distributed to farmers- Minister

May 27, 2019

Peduase (E/R), May 27, GNA-Mr George Oduro, the Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture said government collaboration with the Brazilian Embassy through the trilateral cooperation led to the distribution of over 150,000 cashew grafts to farmers across the country. 

Images by GNA

The collaboration also led to the establishment of scion banks and the establishment of cashew trial plots to improve the development of cashew in the country. 

This was in a speech read on behalf of the Deputy Minister on Monday at the opening of the first session of the Ninth Edition of the Master Training Programme on Cashew Value Chain Promotion jointly organised by ComCashew and African Cashew Alliance. 

The one-week programme is to increase theoretical knowledge and practical skills of African cashew experts along the value chain and further promote the competitiveness of African cashew. 

The training programme brought together 91 cashew experts from Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Senegal, Madagascar, and Zambia to share knowledge, discuss best practices and build national and regional networks for future collaboration. 

The programme is funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs. The Deputy Minister said government would continue to prioritise cashew because of its potential for the development of the agricultural sector. 

"Cashew has proven to be highly lucrative, providing about 53 per cent of non-traditional crop export for Ghana in 2018", he added. 

He said the cashew industry informed government to set up the Ghana Tree Crop Development Authority, which was to be passed into bill this year. 

Mr Oduro said the training programme would help develop the expertise to make the work of Authority relevant and impactful. He said with collaboration between stakeholders, the country would be on the right path to stregthening the Ghanaian cashew sector. 

Ms Rita Weidinger, the Executive Director of ComCashew said since the inception of the programme in 2013, 456 experts from 15 countries had become change agents in their organisations and in their countries. 

She said the programme would focus on improved planting material development, establishment of new plantations and design of adult training programme among others. 

She stressed that participants would be introduced to monitoring and evaluation, gender and cashew value chain promotion, adding that at each session, 'there is a combination of topics on self-reflection and perception management and on behaviours and values that affect learning and teaching skills. 

Participants would learn about all aspects of the cashew value chain from production and processing of raw cashew nuts, to economics, cashew market dynamics, marketing and financing mechanisms. 

The highlight of the programme would be a field visit to the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana research station and farm visits to the cashew production areas in the country. 

By Kodjo Adams, GNA

Source: Ghana News Agency

[Ghana] Cashew value chain stakeholders build capacity in processing

May 28, 2019

Eighty-five stakeholders in the cashew processing value chain in 12 African countries are meeting in Accra to undergo capacity building in cashew processing.

Mr Harry Bleppony (2nd left) of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, in a discussion with Ms Yayra Amedzro (left), Ms Rita Weidinger (2nd right), Executive Director, GIZ/ComCashew and Mr Daniel Lauchenauer, Deputy Head of Cooperation, Embassy of Switzerland, Ghana, after the opening of the training programme. Picture: Maxwell Ocloo
The countries are Ghana, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroun, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Mali, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo and Zambia.

The initiative forms part of efforts to harness the potential of the African cashew industry and make it competitively better on the world market.

Data indicate that Africa produces 50 per cent of the raw cashew nuts on the world market but only five per cent is processed.

The five-day training exercise has been designed as a platform for the sector players to share knowledge, discuss best practices and lessons learnt, as well as build national and regional networks for future collaboration.

It also seeks to train more experts within the African cashew processing value chain to be change agents in transforming the continent’s cashew processing sector.

Opening ceremony
At a brief ceremony to open the training, the Executive Director of the Competitive Cashew initiative, originators of the training programme, Ms Rita Weidinger, said the participants, including 36 women, had been identified as potential cashew ambassadors from various organisations in the participating countries.

The Competitive Cashew initiative is a German government initiative which focuses on building a sustainable cashew value chain and increasing the competitiveness of African cashew production and processing.

“This programme provides you with a unique opportunity to learn diverse perspectives and enlarge your professional network beyond the training.

Make use of all the opportunities presented at your workplaces,” she told the participants.

She commended Ghana for the strides made in improving cashew and other tree crops production.

She also underscored the need for African countries to step up efforts to process the crops to better harness their financial potential for national development.

Cashew
In a speech read on his behalf, a Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr George Oduro, said cashew had a lot of potential for the development of the agricultural sector.

He said although a relatively young sector that faced few challenges, cashew had proved to be highly lucrative, contributing about 53 per cent of non-traditional crop export earnings for Ghana in 2018.

“It will be unwise to ignore that potential. This is part of what informed the setting up of the Ghana Tree Crop Development Authority (GTCDA), which is still on track to be passed into law this year,” he said.

Mr Oduro said the capacity-building programme, from which Ghana was benefiting, would facilitate the work of the GTCDA and make it more impactful.

He reiterated the government’s commitment to ensure the growth of the cashew industry and make it a priority crop in the country.

“It is impossible to talk about the development of the agricultural sector without mentioning the cashew value chain.

The numerous financial, social and economic benefits of cashew production and processing to the producing countries are becoming more and more evident to the governments and sector actors of producing countries,” he said.

Cashew seedlings
A representative of the Association of Cashew Processors, Ghana, Ms Yayra Amedzro, expressed gratitude to the Cocoa Research Institute for ensuring that cashew farmers had access to certified cashew seedlings to enhance cultivation.

She said a lot of cashew cultivation was currently going on in Ghana under the Planting for Food and Export and Rural Development policy and underscored the need for Ghana’s processing ability to be enhanced for it to gain more value for the high potential crop.

“Value addition will result in more money in the national kitty and farmers’ pockets, which is critical to poverty alleviation,” she said.

BY: Doreen Andoh
Writer’s email doreen.andoh@graphic.com.ghSource: Graphic Online Ghana

[Zambia] Government to ban importation of cashew nuts

May 27, 2019

Images by Daily Mail Zambia

GOVERNMENT will consider a ban on the importation of cashew nuts into the country to empower local farming and production of the commodity once its demand reaches at least 70 percent.

And Minister of Justice Given Lubinda has advised Libala South residents in Kabwata constituency whose houses are earmarked for demolition but have proper land documentation, to claim for compensation from Lusaka City Council (LCC).

LUCY LUMBE, Livingstone

Source: Daily Mail Zambia

[Ghana] Strive To Catch The Cashew Vision – ADRA Country Director

May 27, 2019

Images by http://akzente.giz.de

The Country Director for the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Dr. William Y.K. Brown has revealed that Cashew generated US$224 million for Government of Ghana from a total export of 163,000MT in 2016/2017 farming season.

According to him, Cashew is a non-traditional crop that has become a major foreign exchange earner. “within the agricultural sector Cashew present huge opportunities for employment and income generation for thousands of people in Northern Savannah vegetation zones” he said.

The Country Director is confident that the industry will increase access to employment opportunities, ensure sustainability of development of local authorities and increase income generating activities in cashew growing areas in the selected districts by 2021, adding thatMunicipal and District Assembly’s Revenue will increase by 10% in theseCashew growing districts.

He made this disclosure during the Launch of the European Union Co-Funded Bono-Asante Cashew Project Dubbed “Cashew for income and jobs” in Wenchi in the Bono Region.

According to him the Project seeks to achieve SDG goal 1,8 and 17 in five selected districts namely: Ejura-Sekyedumase District, Wenchi, Jaman North, Nkoranza North and Tain District with the target of reaching 14,500 individuals i.e. Farmers, Nut collectors, aggregators, honey producers, Transporters and Exporters within 3 years.

The Launch was organized by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) a global Humanitarian organization of the Seventh-day Adventist Church with a mission to work with people in poverty and distress to create just and positive change.

The Country Director said Ghana has comparative advantage to export more Cashew to the global market yet the non-adoption of innovations makes it impossible for cashew farmers to produce the required volumes for local processing and export.

The Project Manager for the Project Dr. Anthony Augustus Mainoo said the Project is expected to achieve the following: increase farmers income by 30%, increase employment within the Cashew sector and increase knowledge on climate change in relation to cashew production.

Accordingto him there are five basic practices that can help improve farmers yields namely: Pruning, spraying of farms to control diseases and pests, manuring and fertilization, weed control and effective nut collection.

He therefore urged farmers to adhere to these practices to increase their yields and incomes for improved living standards.

“To give strong boost to the sector, Dr. Mainoo said his outfit would also increase theoretical knowledge and practical skills of cashew farmers along the value chain” he said.

On his part Hon. Dr. Prince Kwakye Afriyie Municipal Chief Executive for Wenchi indicated that the industry has revolutionized and proven that farming can be a good income earner that sustains livelihoods.

“There may still be numerous challenges facing this industry but the fact that its gains are guaranteed makes it a worthy venture especially considering the fact that the government and other stakeholders are working on fixing these issues” he said.

Also Mr. Samuel Asante Mensah, Director for Agriculture and Food Security of ADRA Ghana revealed that cashew is one of the country’s stable cash crop that if properly managed, can help farmers to improve upon their lives.

The European Union representative who graced occasion indicated that “Farmers can make more money with Cashew nut farming especially if they have a great cashew farming business plan. The most important thing is to stick to tested and tried cashew farming tips”.

Chairman for the occasion, Nana Tabiri Asimpi Adinka Kosopre, the Wenchi Baamhene and also acting President Wenchi Traditional Council revealed that it is not the farmers that have all the problems, also the aggregators who go around to purchase cashew, In those days, there were Cocoa and Cashew inspectors in local areas, who vet and grade them into categories before they are certified for export, But today everybody seems to be in the export business, they don’t even read what standards are required in those countries they are exporting too.

They don’t read about the conditions in terms of climate issue, in terms of packaging, they don’t look at the standards at all, they are just eager to export,” he said.

“I believe collectively we can chart a path which builds on our unique strengths in our quest to increase cashew production in Ghana,Cashew nut has risen to become the second largest foreign exchange earner and export crop for Ghana. He urged all to be supportive in various stages of production”.

Also present at the Launch were representatives from the Cashew Farmer’s Associations, M/DCE’s, Coordinating Directors, Planning Officers, DoA Directors, Cashew Desk Officers, Officials from ADRA.

By: Nana Yaw Reuben Jnr

& Sammy Adjei

Source: News Ghana

 

[UK] Dorset Cereals recall product that failed to declare nuts in the ingredients

May 16, 2019

The popular breakfast brand failed to correctly label a cereal which contains almonds, cashew nuts and hazelnuts.

Images by Dorset Cereals

A popular brand has been forced to recall one of its popular products after failing to inform customers of the presence of nuts.

Buyers with nut allergies are being warned to return the product to stores, as Simply Oat Granola does contain almonds, cashew nuts and hazelnuts despite this not being made clear on the labeling.

The error has the potential to be a major health risk for anyone with an allergy to nuts.

The group that owns Dorset Cereals, Jordans & Ryvita Company, have said that other than Simply Oat Granola, none of their other products have been affected.

Regular buyers of the product who have purchased a 550g box of Simply Oat Granola by Dorset Cereals, should note the only affected boxes are those labelled with the best before date of 24/02/2020 and the code GCP9116 on the bottom.

Images by Dorset Cereals

Jordans & Ryvita Company released a statement that said: "If you have purchased a box of simply oat granola with these codes and you have an allergy or intolerance to nuts, please do not eat it.

"Return the product to the store from where you purchased it, or contact our consumer services team at pleasetellus@dorsetcereals.co.uk / 0800 5878901 and they will provide information on how to obtain a product replacement voucher

"We apologise for any inconvenience caused and would like to thank you in advance for your understanding and co-operation."

By Khadija Taboada

Source: In Your Area Newsroom UK

[Vietnam] seizes 5.26 tonnes of pangolin scales hidden in cashew containers

May 27, 2019

Images by Tien Phong Daily

HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam has seized more than five metric tonnes of pangolin scales hidden in cashew nut containers shipped from Nigeria, the government said on Friday, in Southeast Asia’s latest large-scale wildlife trafficking case.

Last month, Singaporean authorities seized a total of 25.6 tonnes of pangolin scales across two separate raids, one of which was the biggest of its kind worldwide in five years.

Vietnamese customs and anti-smuggling forces found 5.26 tonnes of pangolin scales hidden in two containers carrying cashew nuts in the southern Vietnamese port of Cai Mep, the government said in a statement posted on its website on Friday.

Trade in pangolin is illegal in Vietnam, where a large number of people still believe consuming products from the critically endangered and defenseless mammal is good for their health.

The scales are often ground up and used as a scientifically unproven supplement to treat liver and bone issues, and for mothers to produce breast milk.

The raid came nine days after authorities in the northern Vietnamese city of Haiphong seized 8.3 tonnes of pangolin scales shipped from Africa, the government said in the statement.

Nguyen Van Thai, director of Save Vietnam’s Wildlife told Reuters last December that most of the pangolin scales seized in Vietnam originate in Africa and are bound for China.

Reporting by Khanh Vu; 

Editing by James Pearson and Richard Pullin

Source: Reuter