How many of the above trees are actually native to India? Cashew? Papaya? Red sanders? [2024]

Consider the following:

Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.), a native of eastern Brazil, was introduced to India, by the Portuguese nearly five centuries ago. The Portuguese also introduced many ‘New World’ fruits like the pineapple, Papaya, Sapodilla, and the guava, which found acceptance and became part of Indian food culture.

India is the largest producer of Raw Cashew nuts and the processor of cashews and the world’s largest consumer.
Cashew is cultivated in 17 states of India, with a total area of 10.41 lakh hectares under cultivation.
- Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are the major Cashew producing states in India. India primarily exports Cashew Kernels with small quantities of Cashew Nut Shell Liquid and Cardanol.

Soil: Deep, sandy loam soil with good drainage, Sandy red soil, Coastal sandy soils and Laterite soils
Sunlight: 5-6 hours of direct sunlight per day
Temperature: 20-30°C, Tropical climates and Sensitive to low temperatures and frost
Rainfall and Altitude: 1000-2000 mm per year and 0-800 m.
Dry Period: Well-defined dry weather conditions for a minimum of 4 months

Papaya originated in Mexico. It was introduced to India in the 16^th century by the Portuguese.

Soil and climate: Papaya, a tropical plant, prefers a warm and humid climate. A fertile, deep, organically rich, well-drained soil is ideal for papaya cultivation. Alluvial and medium black soils having a pH of 6.5 to 7.0 are preferred.
Rainfall and Altitude: It requires an evenly distributed annual rainfall of 150 to 180 cm. Papaya can be cultivated up to an elevation of 1200 m, and it requires protection from wind.
Papaya cannot withstand water stagnation, proper drainage facilities should be provided.
The world’s largest papaya producer is India. It accounts for more than 40 % of papaya production worldwide.
- 5 major papaya-producing states in India are Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Red Sanders are endemic to the southern Eastern Ghats, mainly found in the Seshachalam forests and Palakonda hills of Chittoor, YSR (Kadapa), Annamayya and Tirupati districts of Andhra Pradesh.
They are medium-sized tropical deciduous trees
The best wood grows at altitudes around 750 m
Non-aromatic (still used in incense, perfumes, etc.)
It is valued for its rich red colour and its therapeutic properties. It is used to make exquisite furniture, woodcrafts, and musical instruments in China and Japan.
IUCN: EN