Sep 29, 2020
A major attempt to save cashew sprouts by Brijith Krishna of Kannur to commercialize cashew with a new avatar — Sprouted Cashew –is making a hit waves. As a survival strategy amid the Covid-19 lockdown, the unsold cashew sprouts with it’s with make-up is the latest hit amongst the consumers.
Since last four months, Brijith a 42 year youth has safeguarded a turnover of Rs. 1 lakh by turning unsold cashew nuts into sprouts (germinated cashew nut cotyledons) in his remote village near Iritty. Brijith had lost his job following the covid pandemic was left with three quintals of unsold cashew grown in his smallholding of farm, has now procured around ton of cashew following high demand wave. He has been poured in with orders and enquiries, including from couple of leading supermarkets and an international fast-food chain.
Nonetheless people had traditionally used the sprouts of mazhayandi (the fallen cashew nuts which get sprouted in the rain), it is the first ever attempt in the state to commercialize cashew sprouts. The sprouts are used for making dishes ranging from curries to salads, snacks and milk shakes while the nut is normally enjoyed as snacks.
Madakkathara Cashew Research Station has provided the technology for production of sprouts to Brijith while it has also started sale of cashew sprouts on its own too.
“During the lockdown, there were no buyers for cashew and the nuts that fell on the ground were going waste after getting sprouted. We tried making various dishes at home with them and when I shared them with my friends, they all liked the taste, following which I started selling them to shops and customers,” Brijith said.
Brijith has set up an entire air-conditioned storage space and production facilities at his house, while procedures are on to get FSSAI registration and branding of the product.
Brijith informed that maintaining the germinability of cashew and the short shelf-life of sprouts of just two days are of course challenge. “Cashew nuts retain their germinability potential for just around 90 days. By maintaining the right moisture, we can extend it and I have stored the procured nuts in an air-conditioned room with sensors installed. The cashew nuts are germinated in vertically stacked plastic trays filled with sterilized coir pith and the sprouts are tastiest on the 16th day”, Brijith said.
Jalaja S. Menon, Assist. Professor and head of Madakkathara Cashew Research Station said their studies had revealed that cashew sprouts have a much higher quantity of iron, calcium and fiber when compared to kernels and the fat content is reduced by half during germination. “It is commercialization of a traditional technology which has huge potential. We are mentoring and incubating the project by Brijith under the Agri Business Incubation Centre of the varsity and efforts are on to mechanize the production and packaging,” she said.