A Mangalore-based company has bagged the prestigious rights to market organic cashew in the European Union.

The Netherlands-based CBI (Centre for the promotion of imports from developing countries) has chosen the Mangalore-based cashew exporter Achal Industries for a four-year programme on marketing of organic cashews and development of cashew as an ingredient in European Union.

CBI is an agency of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands.

According to G Giridhar Prabhu, Managing Director of Achal Industries the programme is meant for producers and exporters who are eager to expand their export activities in Europe.

"This helps exporters like us to learn more about the European market. The exporter can get consultancy from the governmental agency in Europe, which, otherwise is not accessible," Prabhu told reporters.

He said the European market is unique compared to other export markets and the experience gained through such programmes was like a "virtual passport" for getting orders from Europe.

"The programme helps in understanding the entire working of the European market, which has a huge potential to be explored," he pointed out.

Achal is one of the largest cashew producers and exporters in southern India. The company has taken several innovative applications as well as improvement in conventional applications for cashew kernels, especially brokens.

The company has worked with ice cream and sweet manufacturers, liquor, and food manufacturers in various applications.

Achal is a pioneer in organic cashews as well as the first ISO 22000 certified cashew industry in the world.

Under the EU programme, the company intends to carry this experience into Europe and there are prospects of introducing cashews in breakfast cereals, cookies, confectionary, chocolates, snack bars and the like.

Experience gained in the programme will also be shared with other manufacturers in the Cashew Export Promotion Council of India for meeting the Vision 2020 goals.