History of Cashew

As already mentioned, cashew plant is a native of the tropical parts of the South American continent commonly around Brazil. The weather in those regions remains quite hot and humid that played a key factor for the plant to survive and develop. The rain forests in that part were the places where the cashew tree actually grew but in those areas it hardly produced many nuts. The question that for how long the Native Americans had been using the cashew nuts is unanswered till now but when America was discovered, it was found that the local South American people were already using the nuts from these plants. Cashew nuts were consumed after roasting and removing all the toxic. If anyone owned a cashew tree in the 1500s, it was considered to be among the richest and important persons in that region.

The Portuguese took this plant to the old world and planted it in European countries. This was the time cashew started to become famous in the world. Portuguese were the one who introduced this crop into India mainly in Goa five centuries ago for wine and brandy production. It was also planted as it helped in binding the soil. The commercial importance of cashew nuts was not known at that time. The climate in here was well suited to the plant and it prospered in the other parts of the country too. Trading in cashews started as late as in 1920s