Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) Production, Processing Facilities and Quality Assessment in Kafubulum Chiefdom, Sierra Leone

Abstract

The research was conducted to investigate the cashew production, processing facilities and quality assessment in Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARI)/Kenema Forestry and Tree Crops Research Centre (KFTCRC), Sierra Leone. A total of 80structured questionnaires on cashew production, processing facilities and quality assessment were administered to farmers including men and women in the Kafubulum Chiefdom, Port Loko District. Data obtained were analysed descriptively and quantitatively. Simple arithmetic like percentages were used to analyze the data. Tables were then used to present the facts and finding recording the research. The research revealed the Red and Yellow cashew colours were the varieties cultivated in the study area and red cashew gave better yield in the Kafubulum Chiefdom from the interview conducted. Upon the two colours, Red reported to be high yielding with 55% respondents. Also, cashew farmers have no processing facility except for roasting and drying the cashew kernel 100% each from the results obtained. This was shown from the analyses that 100% of these producers were willing to process their cashew to kernel.In general, the quality of the cashew kernels were high as farmers were able to maintain the exact required kernel 8% moisture content through colour observation and taste and Premium with 52.5% kernel grades were discovered.