Gaza introduces new cashew seed production techniques

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Gaza introduces new cashew seed production techniques

11:39 CAT | 21 Aug 2018

Gaza province is introducing new cashew production techniques in order to improve effectiveness and reduce costs.

The province currently has two fields producing drought resistant multi-clonal cashew seed, which is produced with pollen collected from plants with different characteristics rather than by grafting.

Emílio Camisa, director of the District Services for Economic Activities (SDAE) in the Mapai district, says that grafting is more expensive than pollination, and that pollination enables the direct production of quality seed.

The fields, in the Mapai and Massangena districts, were set up under the Sustainable Management of Land and Water Resources project co-financed by the Mozambican government and the African Development Bank (AfDB).

AIM reports that the fields have 724 plants each, comprising nine clones from Bilene, Chibuto, Xai-Xai and Nampula in Mozambique, as well as varieties from Tanzania and Brazil.

“From the third year onwards it is possible to harvest seed for development and subsequent distribution to other locations,” Camisa says, pointing out that transporting and distributing seed to growers is easier and cheaper than transporting whole plants.

The goal is to promote the export of cashews, Camisa says, and there is plenty of willingness on the part of producers. In the Mapai district, cashew is produced all year round, and there has not yet been a single case of diseases such as powdery mildew.

Camisa also points out that buyers in the Limpopo Corridor can afford to buy raw cashew nuts and transport them by rail to Maputo for processing.

Source: Noticias