Maputo — The South African petro-chemical company Sasol, which is building a gas pipeline from Mozambique to South Africa, has decided to support cashew production in Inhambane province, according to the provincial governor, Aires Aly.
Inhambane contains the Pande and Temane natural gas fields to which Sasol holds the right. Aly said that, in Govuro district, Sasol is supporting the chemical treatment of cashew trees against the fungal disease which is the main cause of the trees' poor productivity.
He said the provincial government is pleased with the results of the 2002 spraying: trees which had for years not produced any nuts at all, were now recovering and producing again.
He added that this year the Sasol project may be expanded into the neighbouring district of Inhassoro, "which will be very beneficial for the local population".
The idea is to spray the largest possible number of cashew trees in these two districts. This is part of Sasol's commitment to spend five million dollars on social welfare in the areas affected by the gas pipeline.
"A week ago, I inaugurated boreholes for drinking water in Pande", said Aly. "The drilling was financed by Sasol". Such boreholes are extremely important in the Inhambane interior which is naturally semi-arid. In the dry season, many women villagers have to walk long distances, to fetch water on their heads for their families' basic requirements.
Sasol's work in Inhambane is part of a national campaign to treat cashew trees against disease by chemical spraying. A spokesperson for the National Cashew Institute (INCAJU) told AIM that the average annual yield can rise from the current three kilos of nuts per tree to seven kilos a tree in the next five years, and even to nine or ten kilos per tree within ten years, as better techniques for caring for their trees are taught to the peasant producers.
INCAJU is optimistic that, thanks to the fight against fungal diseases, the total cashew nut harvest will reach 100,000 tonnes this year or next year (as against the current figure of around 60,000 tonnes a year). It should be added that these figures are in dispute - the Cashew Industry Association (AICAJU) put the 2002 harvest at just 40,000 tonnes, and has scoffed at claims that the quantity of nuts marketed can soar to 100,000 tonnes by 2004.
Alongside the treatment of old trees, goes the planting of new ones. The production of cashew saplings should reach the figure of 1.84 million this year, according to INCAJU.
