Climate & Soil

Cashew is adapted to warm humid tropical conditions. Cashew is a sun loving tree and does not tolerate excessive shade. It can tolerate temperature of more than 360C for a shorter period but the most favourable temperature is 24 - 28^oC.

The climatic factors influence growth and production:

• Dry spell during flowering and fruit setting ensures better harvest.

• Cloudy weather during flowering enhances scorching of flowers due to tea mosquito infestation.

• Heavy rains during flowering and fruit set damages production.

• High temperature (39 - 42^oC) during fruit set causes fruit drop.

It can be grown in almost all types of soils from sandy to laterite and up to an elevation of 600-700 m including wastelands of low fertility. It grows and yields best in well-drained red sandy loams and light coastal sands. Heavy clay soils, poor drainage conditions, very low temperature and frost are unsuitable for the crop. Cashew is grown in areas with rainfall ranging from 600 – 4500 mm per annum. Fruit setting in cashew will be good if rains are not abundant during flowering and nuts mature in a dry period.