Dried fruits are one of the most popular products made by small-scale processors. Drying removes the water from fruits so that the growth of micro-organisms is inhibited. It also reduces the weight and bulk of foods which cuts down on transport and storage costs. Walnuts, Cashew nuts, Almonds, pine nuts, Pistachio provided a high calorie intake. Nuts are used by mankind for food, edible oils, spices, condiments or beverages. Nuts are a rich source of protein, dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals. This makes them a popular snack which is both tasty and nutritious.
The nut and dried fruit industry in India is currently pegged at INR 15,000 crores (~ USD 2 billion) and is estimated to grow to INR 30,000 crores (~ USD 4 billion) by 2020, according to the Chairman of Royal Dried Fruits Range, a city-based dried fruits retailer. The global nuts and seeds market to grow at a CAGR of 4.5% during the period 2016-2020. This facilitates the development of new technologies and ensures a high quality product.
Few Indian major players are as under
· Ashoka Estate Developers Pvt. Ltd.
· Goa Forest Development Corpn. Ltd.
· Infragro Industries Ltd.
· Kerala State Cashew Devp. Corpn. Ltd.
· Kore Foods Ltd.
· Kreem Foods Pvt. Ltd.
· Padmavathi Cashews & Coffee Ltd.