Cashew Plantation and Processing Tradition of Srikakulam

Srikakulam district's laterite uplands and coastal strips support extensive cashew plantation, making it one of Andhra Pradesh's leading cashew producers. The Portuguese introduced cashew to India's coasts in the 16th century as a soil-binding crop for laterite slopes, and it naturalised readily in Srikakulam's terrain. Traditional cashew orchards are managed with minimal inputs — the trees require no irrigation once established and produce for 30–40 years. Women workers in Srikakulam's cashew processing units shell, peel, and grade cashew kernels using hand tools, developing extraordinary dexterity. The district's cashew cooperative societies aggregate produce from small landholders and supply kernels to exporters. Cashew feni (a spirit distilled from cashew apple juice) is produced by tribal communities in the district's forest areas.