Directorate of Cashew Research (ICAR-DCR), Puttur, Dakshina Kannada, has been conferred with the ‘Innovation and Technology Advancement Award’ by the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC).

The award was presented during the first edition of the Agro-Food Processing Awards 2026, held in Bengaluru recently. The award recognises the DCR’s contributions towards developing innovative technologies that have the potential for transforming India’s cashew sector.

The recognition was bestowed for DCR’s pioneering work in developing high-yielding cashew varieties, mechanisation technologies for production and processing, and innovative value-added technologies for cashew apple utilisation, which are creating new livelihood opportunities for farmers and entrepreneurs while reducing post-harvest losses, a release from DCR said.

Speaking on the occasion, J. Dinakara Adiga, Director, DCR, stated that the award is a testament to the dedicated efforts of the institute’s scientists and staff, industry partners and stakeholders in strengthening India’s cashew value chain through science-driven innovations. The BCIC award marks another significant milestone in the institute’s four-decade journey of scientific excellence and reinforces its commitment to advancing science, empowering farmers and strengthening India’s cashew value chain.

Over the years, DCR has developed several high-yielding and climate-resilient cashew varieties that have significantly enhanced productivity across major cashew-growing states. The Directorate has also pioneered technologies for high-density planting, integrated nutrient and pest management, and farmer-friendly mechanisation aimed at reducing labour costs and improving production efficiency, he said.

In the post-harvest sector, the institute has made remarkable strides by developing technologies for cashew apple processing into nutritious products such as herbal tea, cashew apple liquid sweetener, cashlime, cider, cashew nut sprout cookies, and cashew apple pomace powder cookies, thereby converting an underutilised by-product into an income-generating resource. Recently, ICAR-DCR also introduced an innovative 3-in-1 cashew apple and nut separation machine, enabling efficient separation of nuts, juice and fibre for commercial processing, the Director said.

The Directorate has also embraced digital agriculture by launching farmer-centric digital platforms, including the Cashew Connect AI-powered chatbot, Cashew India App, Cashew Protect App, and the Cashew Farmer Tracking System, providing real-time scientific advisories, pest management recommendations and multilingual extension support to growers across the country. These digital initiatives are helping bridge the gap between research laboratories and farmers’ fields through accessible, technology-enabled extension services, the release said.

In addition, DCR has intensified its efforts in technology commercialisation, entrepreneurship development, capacity building, and industry collaborations, facilitating the transfer of research innovations to startups, farmer-producer organisations, self-help groups and private enterprises. Through regular training programmes, incubation support and stakeholder partnerships, the institute continues to promote sustainable value addition and strengthen India’s cashew processing ecosystem, it said.