Recognising the difficulties involved in the process of extraction of cashew nuts from the fruit, the Directorate of Agriculture has turned to innovation, looking for a transformative solution to streamline the tedious nut separation process. They have enlisted the expertise of engineers at BITS Pilani, to design a machine specifically for this purpose.
Nevil Alphonso, Director of Agriculture said there was a need for an efficient de-seeding machine to tackle the challenges of nut separation. He further said that the collaborative efforts between the agriculture department and BITS Pilani will minimize waste, and enhance agricultural sustainability while streamlining the entire process.
However, further innovation is required when it comes to the fibrous residue after the cashew juice is extracted.
Alphonso stated that a chemical analysis of the fibrous residue has revealed that it still retains properties that could be used as organic fertilizer. “Its high pH levels pose a challenge for direct soil disposal, necessitating further scientific investigation to effectively repurpose it for agricultural applications.”
