CM says promote local brand as Cashew Fest kicks off

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday inaugurated the third edition of the Cashew Fest along with Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte, Chairperson of Goa Forest Development Corporation and MLA Dr Deviya Rane, other MLAs an

Photo Credits: Narayan Pissurlenkar

PANAJI

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday inaugurated the third edition of the Cashew Fest, urging the younger generation to invest themselves into plantations of the crop and promote local Goan brand.

Sawant said, cashew is a high-value cash crop and there is almost zero-waste in the industry. 

"We must plant more cashew trees for future generations," Sawant said,  even as he urged the audience to support Goa's own cashew brand 'Sylvan' which is marketed by the Goa Forest Development Corporation (GFDC). 

He said, Goa is is the only State in India which offers a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for cashew and is the second-largest producer globally after Africa.

GFDC organises the Fest every year to provide a platform to the industry to showcase their products. This is the third consecutive year that the two-day festival is being organised and it had earlier been postponed following the Pahalgam terror attack.

Besides stalls set up by the cashew industries, both nuts and spirit, the festival features music and other art performances.

Meanwhile, Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane who also graced the inauguration said that a 'nodal agency' will be appointed in tandem with the tourism department to deal with improving the visitor experience in Goa's wildlife sanctuaries and promote eco-tourism in Goa.