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Cashew (Kaju)All seasonsSoftwood grafted planting materialUpdated 2 September 2026

VRI-3

A 35-39% yield improvement over the earlier VRI-1 and VRI-2, with export-standard W210-grade kernels.

SeasonAll seasons
Maturity periodFirst bearing in 3 years (grafted)
Expected yield~10 kg/tree; nut weight 7.2 g; ~29.1% shelling, W210 kernel grade
Suitable soilTolerant of poor, lateritic and sandy coastal soil

Quick facts

Crop
Cashew (Kaju)
Type
Softwood grafted planting material
Season
All seasons
Maturity period
First bearing in 3 years (grafted)
Expected yield
~10 kg/tree; nut weight 7.2 g; ~29.1% shelling, W210 kernel grade
Suitable soil
Tolerant of poor, lateritic and sandy coastal soil
Release
Cashew Research Station, Vridhachalam, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University; exact notification year not confirmed in this pass

About this variety

VRI-3 was developed at the Cashew Research Station, Vridhachalam, under Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, as a successor release to the station's earlier VRI-1 and VRI-2 selections. It is documented as delivering a 35–39% yield improvement over those two predecessors, a genuinely large generational jump, alongside an average yield of about 10 kg of raw nut per tree, an individual nut weight of 7.2 g, a shelling percentage of roughly 29.1%, and kernel grading at W210 — an export-standard size class. Together, these figures make VRI-3 one of the more completely documented cashew releases on this page, giving Tamil Nadu growers a clear, numbers-backed basis for comparison against older VRI selections.

Key characteristics

    Plant typeSoftwood grafted planting material
    MaturityFirst bearing in 3 years (grafted)
    Yield potential~10 kg/tree; nut weight 7.2 g; ~29.1% shelling, W210 kernel grade
    Disease resistanceNot specifically documented
    SoilTolerant of poor, lateritic and sandy coastal soil
    SeasonAll seasons

Sowing & cultivation

  • Spacing7 x 7 m traditional (~204 trees/ha); can be planted closer in high-density systems
  • FertilizerRoughly 500 g N, 125 g P2O5 and 125 g K2O per bearing tree per year, split around pre-flowering and post-harvest (see the crop guide for the full schedule)

Soil & climate

Soil

Suitable soil
Tolerant of poor, lateritic, gravelly or sandy coastal soil; pH 5.0–6.5

Yield & maturity

Maturity period

First bearing in 3 years (grafted)

Expected yield

~10 kg/tree; nut weight 7.2 g; ~29.1% shelling, W210 kernel grade

Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.

Pest & disease considerations

Advantages & considerations

Why farmers may choose it

  • A documented 35-39% yield improvement over the station's own earlier VRI-1 and VRI-2 selections.
  • Export-standard W210 kernel grading, giving growers a clear quality benchmark for the export market.

Things to consider

  • A shelling percentage of ~29.1% is respectable but not the highest among the varieties on this page — kernel recovery is one factor among several in overall returns.
  • Developed and evaluated specifically for Tamil Nadu conditions — confirm suitability before planting well outside that region.

Suitable regions

Developed at the Cashew Research Station, Vridhachalam, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University.

  • Tamil Nadu

Frequently asked questions

How much better is VRI-3 than the older VRI-1 and VRI-2?

It is documented as giving a 35-39% higher yield than those two earlier releases from the same Vridhachalam station, alongside bolder, export-grade (W210) kernels.

Sourced from: Model Profile for 1.0 ha Cashew Cultivation — NABARD/TNAU, Cashew Varieties: Recent Developments in India — ResearchGate. editorial policy.