The Raikhali Hill Agricultural Research Center in Kaptai upazila of Rangamati has achieved notable success in cashew cultivation, opening up new prospects for commercial farming and export-oriented agriculture in Bangladesh's hill regions.
Agricultural scientists at the research center, which has long served as a support hub for farmers in the Chattogram Hill Tracts, have successfully cultivated cashew nuts on around two acres of land using germplasm collected from several countries and local sources.
During a visit to the research center on Monday morning, rows of mature cashew trees were seen heavily laden with fruits. Vast stretches of green fields covered with cashew trees reflected the growing potential of the crop in the hilly terrain. Dr Muhammad Ziaur Rahman, Chief Scientific Officer of the Raikhali Hill Agricultural Research Center, told BSS that the project began in 2019 when scientists collected cashew germplasm from Vietnam, India, Cambodia and different upazilas of Bandarban district.
The collected varieties were planted on two acres of land at the research center to evaluate their adaptability and productivity under local climatic conditions.
According to Dr Rahman, the trees produced fruits for the first time in 2022, three years after plantation. Now, after seven years of growth, the trees are producing significantly higher yields. "Each cashew tree is now bearing more fruits than before, and the production performance has been encouraging," he said. He noted that cashew is considered one of the most valuable nut crops globally due to its nutritional value and rising international demand.
Scientists at the center said each tree currently yields between 20 and 30 kilograms of fruit. The average weight of each fruit ranges from 30 to 60 grams, while each cashew nut weighs between 5 and 10 grams.
Researchers also highlighted the nutritional and health benefits of cashew nuts. The crop contains substantial amounts of protein, healthy fats, calcium, vitamin B and vitamin C. It is also rich in magnesium, manganese, polyphenols and carotenoids, which help strengthen immunity and improve brain function.
According to experts, cashew nuts also play an important role in reducing harmful cholesterol levels, increasing good cholesterol, and helping control blood pressure and diabetes. Scientists involved in the project believe Bangladesh has strong commercial potential in cashew cultivation, particularly in the hilly districts where vast areas of uncultivated land remain available.
They estimated that there are around 500,000 hectares of uncultivated land in the country's hill regions. If cashew cultivation is expanded to even 100,000 hectares of that land, Bangladesh could potentially produce nearly 100,000 tonnes of cashew nuts annually.
Researchers said large-scale production of high-quality cashew nuts would not only reduce dependence on imports and save foreign currency, but also create significant export opportunities for the country.
They further noted that expansion of the cashew industry could generate employment for thousands of people, especially women, helping improve rural livelihoods and economic self-reliance in the hill districts.
Scientists stressed that coordinated government initiatives, policy support and investment in processing facilities will be essential to fully utilise the untapped potential of cashew cultivation in Bangladesh's hilly areas.
Agriculture experts believe that with proper planning, training and market support, cashew farming could emerge as a promising high-value crop for the country's agricultural diversification and export growth strategy.
