Cashew farming in Pudukkottai district, once a thriving agricultural activity, is witnessing a downturn, with farmers struggling to cope with shrinking profit margins and declining production.
Regions such as Gandharvakottai and Adhanakottai together account for nearly 5,000 acres of cashew cultivation in the district. However, a major setback came in the aftermath of Cyclone Gaja in 2018, which destroyed vast stretches of cashew plantations. Since cashew trees take five to six years to begin yielding and can remain productive for over 30 years, the loss has had long-term consequences. Many farmers are still struggling to recover.
Murugesan, a farmer from Gandarvakottai, said he once owned 10 acres of cashew trees, but the cyclone reduced his holdings by half. “Now, I have only five acres left,” he said. On an average, an acre yields about 10 sacks of cashew nuts, each weighing around 80 kg. However, falling prices had eroded profits significantly. While a sack fetched up to ₹16,000 last year, prices had now dropped to about ₹12,000.
Farmers point to a stark disparity between farm-gate and retail prices. “Traders buy from us at around ₹150 a kg. After processing, they sell it for ₹800 to ₹1,000 a kg,” said G.S. Dhanapathy, State General Secretary, Farmer’s Forum of India, and added that now buyers were reluctant to purchase even at ₹150 a kg.
