In the department of Vichada, Cashew cultivation becomes an example of artisanal and sustainable production. Sandra Ramírez leads Marallanos Vichada has been transforming almonds and pseudofruits into unique foods for more than 20 years.
According to Sandra, the cashew crop begins to bear fruit after three years of planting, and Its harvest lasts approximately three months once harvested.the nuts are dried in the sun to preserve their quality.
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“And we work weekly, throughout the year. What is the pseudofruit, the products must be removed during the harvest because it is damaged quickly,” he highlighted.
Subsequently, the Almonds are baked at 80 degrees Celsius for eight hours. This step allows you to toast the outer shell, which makes peeling easier. With simple tools, such as small knives, workers remove any residue from the shell to obtain a clean almond ready for consumption.
Almonds are turned into products such as nougat, popsicles, spreadable cream and caramelized snacks. Meanwhile, the pseudofruit is transformed into jellies rich in vitamin Cideal for relieving respiratory problems such as asthma or cough.
“The almond is sold natural, caramelized, we make a spreadable cream, some nougats, some popsicles that are also very delicious and take advantage of the almond and the pseudo-fruit juice. And then from the pseudofruit we get a jelly that is also very, so “Cashews have a lot of vitamin C, so they help a lot with all respiratory problems.”Ramírez highlighted.
Once peeled, the almonds go through quality control where they are carefully checked to make sure they do not contain traces of shell. Then, they are packaged, allowing them to be preserved for up to six months.
Nothing is wasted in this process. Almond shells are used as fertilizer and fuel, thanks to the natural oil that they contain, while the small almond remains feed the farm’s chickens. Its production does not require much water, making it ideal for dry climates.
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“We use the walnut shell as fertilizer and also as fuel and we fry the walnut, it is used as firewood because it burns better than the firewood itself, due to the oil it has,” he added.
Cashew is a source of nutritious foods, with properties such as vitamin C, essential amino acids and antioxidant agents, among other benefits of its consumption. This product rescues traditions, generates employment and contributes to the development of Vichada.
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