Consumer Awareness and Support for Sustainable Cashew Processing Units: Evidence from Goa‚ India

Cashew is an important horticultural and agro-processing product associated closely with the economic and cultural identity of Goa. Although the crop was originally introduced into Goa by the Portuguese during the sixteenth century‚ cashew has gradually become an integral component of the state's agricultural‚ processing‚ tourism‚ and local food economy. This study investigates consumer awareness and perceptions concerning the sustainability of cashew processing units in Goa and examines the factors that influence consumer preferences and purchasing decisions. A quantitative research approach was adopted for the study. Primary data were collected from 101 valid respondents in Goa through a structured questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale. The collected information was analysed using SPSS with the help of frequency distributions‚ descriptive statistics‚ standard deviation‚ Cronbach's Alpha‚ and Chi-square tests. The findings indicate that consumers attach considerable importance to supporting local Goan farmers‚ maintaining kernel quality‚ ensuring appropriate product labelling‚ and preserving traditional processing practices. However‚ the findings also reveal inadequate public awareness regarding the decline in the number of cashew processing units operating in the state. Education was not found to have a statistically significant association with awareness of this decline. In contrast‚ household income demonstrated a statistically significant relationship with consumers' willingness to pay a premium for Goan-origin cashew products. The study concludes that strengthening consumer awareness‚ supporting local producers‚ improving processing technology‚ and promoting the distinctive identity of Goan cashews can contribute to the long-term sustainability of the industry.