3 This was the beginning of what would grow to become a multibillion dollar global industry today. Greedy elephants were largely responsible for propagating the nut – after eating the trees’ fruit and dispersing its seeds across the country’s peninsula in their droppings, in states such as Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal. Once the tree had set down roots in India, it soon came to conquer India’s entire coastal region. The trees’ expansive branch system which extends horizontally also serves as a natural umbrella, shielding the soil from rain. Cashew nut trees are used to mitigate soil erosion because of their extensive root system, which keeps the soil beneath them firmly in place. The cashew tree, Anacardium occidentale L, was first introduced to India in the 16th century by Portuguese explorers sailing from Brazil, who first planted it in Goa to prevent coastal erosion. ![]() A master of deception, the real fruit dangles from the bottom of the cashew apple, guarding within it a single seed, known to us as a cashew nut. The fruit, or ‘cashew apple’, which resembles a bell pepper, is what is called a ‘false fruit’. The cashew nut is a particularly interesting example of this.Ĭashew nuts come from fruit producing trees. If I were to ask you how cashew nuts are grown and harvested, or what they look like in their shell, would you know? The funny thing is, most of us couldn’t pinpoint where our food comes from, or even what it looks like in its natural form. Read on to learn more about this cosmopolitan nut, how cashews are processed and how Vietnam came to overtake India as the world’s leading supplier. Check out our range of delicious, raw, and roasted cashews.Brought over from Brazil, nurtured in India and commercialised all over the world, the cashew nut has grown to become an emblem of globalisation. If you don’t fancy growing a cashew tree in your back garden, then we’ve got plenty of cashews to satisfy your craving. If you do want to have a go at growing your own cashew tree, then you may want to stick to a dwarf variety that won’t grow to be 46 feet tall! It will take at least three years for your tree to form its first fruit, but harvesting and eating home-grown cashews will definitely be with the wait. It’s also very important that cashew trees receive at least six hours of bright sunlight each day and adequate fertilization. Cashew trees thrive in extremely hot temperatures and don’t like too much wind or rain. ![]() Unless you live in the tropics, you may struggle to grow your own cashew tree. Healthy, mature cashew trees will produce fruit annually and be ready to harvest between February and May. Newly planted cashew trees take around three years to bear their first fruit, but most growers must wait eight years for a full commercial harvest. Today, the Ivory Coast and India are the two top producers of cashew nuts, closely followed by Burundi, Vietnam, and the Philippines. How Do Cashews GrowĬashew trees are native to Northwestern Brazil but have been transported all over the world by explorers. Some growers sell their cashew apples locally, while others juice their cashew apples for the beverage industry, and in Goa, the apples are fermented to make Feni, an alcoholic beverage. Unfortunately, cashew apples don’t transport very well and perish within a few days of ripening. They can be yellow-red when ripe and have sweet, pulpy flesh. Once mature, cashew fruits look a little like misshapen apples, hence their name. At this stage, the cashew apple begins to grow from the stem of the cashew drupe. Cashew apples are particularly unique because they don’t start to form until after the cashew nut has fully developed. Instead, they form from the floral parts of the plant. ![]() Accessory fruits are different from true fruits because they do not form from the ovary. Cashew apples are the fruit of the cashew tree and are a very special type of fruit known as an ‘accessory fruit’. Like many seeds, cashews don’t form alone but grow alongside a fruit. Believe it or not, quite a few of the most common nuts don’t meet the requirements to be a botanical nut, including peanuts which are actually legumes, and both almonds and walnuts, which are drupes. What Are Cashews?Ĭashews are the seed of the cashew tree, a tropical evergreen plant that can grow up to 46 feet tall. ![]() When looking at a handful of cashew nuts, it can be hard to imagine them growing on a tree - but they do! To blow your mind even further, they’re not actually a nut! So how do cashews grow, and what are they if they aren’t a nut? Let’s find out.
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