Cashew

Water

Rain is enough, even in a dry year.

Needs about 1,040 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 1,580 mm it can use in a normal year, and 1,440 mm in a dry year.

Heavy rain here can waterlog it. Grow it on raised beds or land that drains well.

Temperature

Grows best at 15–35 °C on average, and survives 5–46 °C.

Here, in its growing months (day / night):

• Jun 28 °C / 21 °C
• Jul 27 °C / 21 °C
• Aug 27 °C / 21 °C
• Sep 28 °C / 21 °C
• Oct 27 °C / 20 °C
• Nov 25 °C / 16 °C
• Dec 22 °C / 13 °C
• Jan 22 °C / 11 °C
• Feb 25 °C / 13 °C
• Mar 28 °C / 17 °C
• Apr 31 °C / 20 °C
• May 29 °C / 20 °C
• Jun 28 °C / 21 °C

Soil

Soil for Cashew: 8 out of 10 (good).

Not in the score: salt, sulphur, zinc and 4 more.

• The pH here suits it, though not most crops.
• Many fields here are short of potassium, which it needs a lot.
• Most fields here are short of nitrogen.

Likes pH 4.5–6.5.

Money

Yield: about 3.2 quintals an acre, the typical figure across India (no figures for your state).

A new planting gives its first real harvest after about 3 years. The money here is for plants already bearing.

Mandi price at last season's harvest (March–May 2026): about ₹14,855 a quintal across India's mandis.

This week: about ₹11,475 a quintal, the middle of 6 mandis across India (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would leave about ₹12,000 a year after typical costs.

Prices are usually best in February.

Typical costs are about ₹25,000 an acre: about half of what a usual harvest earns (2024–2026), as in farm cost surveys. They are spent whatever the harvest.