Maputo, Mozambique, 22 Oct – The 90,000 to 95,000 tonne target set for cashew production may not be achieved due to out of control slash and burn techniques, said the national director of the National Cashew Institute (Incaju).

Speaking to Mozambican newspaper Notícias, on the sidelines of the launch ceremony of the cashew sales campaign opened Tuesday at the Itoculo administrative post, in Monapo district, Nampula province, Filomena Maiopuè said that out of control slash and burn had devastated several thousand mature cashew trees.

“I can say that Incaju is starting to feel powerless to stop this phenomenon across the country, specifically in cashew producing provinces, as the practice of slash and burn is taking on alarming proportions year on year, but we are going to work with district governments to convince the populations to give up the practice,” Maiópuè said.

She said she had no statistics about the number of cashew trees burned this year, but noted that it had affected thousands of fruit producing trees, some of which had been treated for pests and disease. (macauhub)