Cashew trees are among the trees with the most unusual fruits. They consist of the cashew apple, which is a false fruit, and the cashew nuts, which are also known as “elephant lice”. The harvest took several months.
When and how are cashews harvested?
The cashew kernel harvest takes place mainly from January to May. The fruits are collected from the ground when they have ripened. The kernels are then turned out, dried and roasted before they are suitable for consumption and export.
So many fruits grow on the cashew tree
Cashew trees bear the first fruit three years after sowing. The tree is fully grown when it is eight to ten years old. Then harvests of several hundred kilos of fruit are not unusual.
In good years, 9,000 kilograms of cashew apples and kernels can be harvested from one hectare of land with cashew trees.
Cashew trees bear fruit until the age of 30. After that they no longer produce fruit. The largest cashew tree in the world is an exception. It is still bearing fruit because it has formed many runners.
The harvest of cashews
Cashew trees are mainly grown in Brazil, India, Thailand and some African countries. The main harvest season for cashews lasts from January to May.
The fruits are picked up when they fall to the ground. Only then are the kernels really ripe. In large plantations, large nets are placed under the trees for collection purposes.
Cashew fruits should not be left on the ground for long as the pulp rots quickly and makes the kernels unusable.
How cashews are processed
- Turn out the cores
- Drying
- Roasting
- Remove skin
After collecting, the seeds are removed from the fruit with a strong twisting movement. The cashew apples are processed into jam, oil and even wine.
The kernels are then placed in the sun to dry. They are completely dry when you hear a rustling noise when you shake them.
Only roasted cashews suitable for consumption
Only the dried and roasted kernels are sold and are also exported to Germany.
Unroasted, the seeds are slightly poisonous and not suitable for consumption.
People with histamine intolerance should be careful when consuming cashews. They contain a lot of histamine, which can cause severe symptoms in those affected.
Tips & Tricks
The shells of cashew fruits are also poisonous. They contain a valuable oil that is collected in special centrifuges. Oil can also be extracted from the kernels by pressing, which is not only tasty but also very he althy.
