Cashew

Water

Rain is enough, even in a dry year.

Needs about 1,020 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 2,660 mm it can use in a normal year, and 2,070 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 29 °C / 23 °C
• Jul 29 °C / 24 °C
• Aug 30 °C / 24 °C
• Sep 30 °C / 23 °C
• Oct 29 °C / 21 °C
• Nov 26 °C / 16 °C
• Dec 23 °C / 13 °C
• Jan 22 °C / 11 °C
• Feb 25 °C / 13 °C
• Mar 29 °C / 17 °C
• Apr 30 °C / 20 °C
• May 30 °C / 22 °C
• Jun 29 °C / 23 °C

Soil

Soil for Cashew: 9 out of 10 (good).

Not in the score: sulphur.

• The pH here suits it.
• Most fields here are short of phosphorus.
• Most fields here are short of zinc.

Likes pH 4.5–6.5.

Money

Yield: about 5.0 quintals an acre here (district figures).

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 ₹33,000 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.