Directorate of Cashew Research gets Innovation and Technology Advancement Award by BCIC

The Directorate of Cashew Research in Puttur, Dakshina Kannada (ICAR-DCR) has been awarded the ‘Innovation and Technology Development Award’ by the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC).

The award was presented at the first edition of the Agri-Food Processing Awards 2026 held in Bengaluru recently. The award recognizes DCR’s contributions towards the development of innovative technologies that have the potential to transform India’s cashew sector.

According to a statement from DCR, the award was given in recognition of DCR’s pioneering work in developing high-yielding cashew varieties, mechanization technologies for production and processing, and innovative value-added technologies for the use of cashew apples, creating new livelihood opportunities for farmers and entrepreneurs while reducing post-harvest losses.

Speaking at the event, DCR Director J. Dinakara Adiga stated that the award is a testament to the dedicated efforts of the institute’s scientists and staff, industry partners and stakeholders to strengthen India’s cashew value chain through science-driven innovations. The BCIC award marks another important milestone in the institute’s four-decade journey of scientific excellence and strengthens its commitment to advance science, empower farmers and strengthen India’s cashew value chain.

Over the years, DCR has developed many high-yielding and climate-tolerant cashew varieties that have significantly increased productivity in major cashew-growing states. He said the directorate is also pioneering high-density cultivation, integrated nutrient and pest management and farmer-friendly mechanization technologies aimed at reducing labor costs and improving production efficiency.

In the post-harvest sector, the institute has made remarkable progress by developing technologies to convert cashew apples into nutritious products such as herbal tea, cashew apple liquid sweetener, cashew lime, apple cider, cashew nut sprout cookies and cashew apple pulp powder cookies, thus turning an underutilized by-product into a revenue-generating source. Recently, ICAR-DCR also launched an innovative 3-in-1 cashew apple and hazelnut sorting machine that enables efficient separation of nuts, juice and fiber for commercial processing, the director said.

The directorate has also embraced digital farming by launching farmer-centric digital platforms, including Cashew Connect AI-powered chatbot, Cashew India App, Cashew Protection App and Cashew Farmer Tracking System, providing real-time scientific advice, pest management recommendations and multilingual extension support to growers across the country. These digital initiatives help bridge the gap between research laboratories and farmers’ fields through accessible, technology-enabled extension services, the statement said.

In addition, DCR has intensified its efforts on technology commercialization, entrepreneurship development, capacity building, and industry collaborations, facilitating the transfer of research innovations to start-ups, farmer-producer organizations, self-help groups, and private enterprises. The institute continues to deliver sustainable value addition and strengthen India’s cashew processing ecosystem through regular training programmes, incubation support and stakeholder partnerships.