Among all nuts and dry fruits, the cashew nut is one of the most loved by Indians, especially Goans. It can be enjoyed in many ways. Roasted and salted cashews make a tasty snack, while raw cashews are used to garnish sweets. No pisam or kheer feels complete without them, and Kaju Katli – a popular festival sweet – also depends on cashews.
National Cashew Day, celebrated on November 23, further highlights the importance of the cashew in Goa and adds significance to the recent efforts to promote the crop.
Goan cashews recently received a GI tag, which has raised their status. However, this year farmers saw a drop in production due to unseasonal rain and unfavourable weather. They are now asking the government for higher support prices and compensation for crop losses.
Goa Cashew Fest: A booster
According to Deviya Rane, Chairperson of the Goa Forest Development Corporation (GFDC), the recently held Goa Cashew Fest 2025 helped bring attention to the long-neglected State fruit. The event put Goan cashews on the global stage and encouraged farmers, stakeholders, self-help groups, food and beverage businesses, hospitality brands, retailers, and others in the cashew industry to explore new opportunities and partnerships.
The cashew industry has grown with the setting up of modern processing units. Technology and new varieties, including organic nuts, have changed the business, while traditional methods still continue. Although cashews are deeply linked to Goa’s culture and economy, they had never received the recognition they deserved. After meeting farmers, feni makers, women in self-help groups, and artisans, Deviya realised that many people felt the story of this iconic fruit needed to be told.
From soil conservation tree to major cash crop
Cashew cultivation in Goa dates back centuries. The Portuguese first introduced the tree to prevent soil erosion, but it later became a major cash crop. Today, the State has over 55,000 hectares under cashew cultivation. Goa is one of India’s leading cashew-producing states. GFDC manages about 6,600 hectares of plantations on forest land leased from the government, while the rest is owned and cultivated by private farmers and landowners.
From a crop brought in for soil conservation to a key commercial product, the journey of cashew nuts is something Goa proudly highlights. While technology has brought many changes, traditional practices such as hand shelling and processing continue. The growing demand for organic cashews also reflects the interest of health-conscious consumers and concern for the environment.
Challenges and remedies
In recent years, cashew plantations in Goa have faced many challenges, including pandemic disruptions, climate change, unseasonal rain, and pest attacks. To help the sector, GFDC and the Department of Agriculture have introduced support measures such as replantation drives, farmer training programmes, and schemes like the ‘Subsidy on Cashew Plantation Maintenance’ and ‘Assistance for Feni Distillation Units’. Crop insurance awareness programmes have also been started.
Jams, vinegar, flavoured feni, wellness drinks
Chefs have created signature dishes using cashew fruit, feni makers have introduced new blends, and researchers have explored ways to use the fruit for sustainable packaging and retail products. This year, more hospitality brands took part, recognising the festival’s potential to promote agro-tourism and responsible sourcing.
A key development has been the focus on value-added products such as cashew apple jams, vinegar, flavoured feni, and wellness drinks. Many of these ideas came from stalls and workshops at the Fest. They show the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of local participants. While plans are still being worked out, the festival has sparked interest in diversifying cashew-based products and tapping new markets.
Cashew goes organic
Organic nuts are collected during the March–May harvest, sun-dried for two days, and stored for hand processing through the year. The nuts are then steam roasted, shelled, and cleaned before they are ready for sale. Workers use hand cutters to remove the shells, and the kernels are separated by hand.
Today, ready-to-eat varieties include drum roasted natural, salted, dry salted, pepper, chat (Indian spicy), cheese, masala, and more. The business remains traditional in many ways, but technology has brought major improvements in processing.
How Zantyes became a brand
The Zantye family has been involved in the cashew business since the early 1900s. Late Ganesh Prabhu Zantye started trading and processing cashews around 1905 in Malvan, Sindhudurg district, Maharashtra, after the family moved there from Ecoxim in Bardez during the Portuguese era. His son, Late Narayan Ganesh Prabhu Zantye, returned to Goa in 1926 and set up the first cashew processing unit in Bicholim. Later, his sons Suresh N. P. Zantye and Umesh N. P. Zantye grew the family business. The next generation now runs the brand, which has earned recognition across the world.
