Overview
Tuni is a town and municipality in the Kakinada district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the headquarters of Tuni mandal and serves as a commercial hub for the surrounding agricultural region in the north-eastern part of coastal Andhra. The town is well known across the state for its cashew processing industry and for the local sweet known as Tuni kaja.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| Type | Town and municipality |
| State | Andhra Pradesh |
| District | Kakinada |
| Mandal | Tuni |
| Region | Coastal Andhra |
| Languages | Telugu |
Geography
Tuni lies in the northern part of the Kakinada district, close to the boundary with Anakapalli district. The town is situated in the coastal plains between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal, in a belt drained by small rivers and streams flowing east towards the sea. The terrain around Tuni supports paddy, sugarcane, coconut, mango and cashew cultivation.
Administration
Tuni is administered as a municipality under the Andhra Pradesh municipal framework. It is the administrative headquarters of Tuni mandal, one of the mandals in Kakinada district. Following the 2022 reorganisation of districts in Andhra Pradesh, Tuni came to be grouped under the reconstituted Kakinada district. The town also gives its name to the Tuni Assembly constituency, which sends a member to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly.
Transport
Tuni is located on National Highway 16, the Chennai–Kolkata corridor that forms part of the Golden Quadrilateral, which makes the town easily accessible by road. Tuni railway station lies on the Howrah–Chennai main line of the South Coast Railway zone, and several express and passenger trains halt at the station. The nearest airports are at Visakhapatnam to the north-east and Rajahmundry to the south-west.
Economy
The economy of Tuni is centred on agriculture, agro-processing and trade. The town is one of the major cashew processing centres in Andhra Pradesh, with numerous units engaged in shelling, grading and packaging cashew kernels for domestic and export markets. Trade in coconut, mango, paddy and oilseeds is significant, and the surrounding mandal supports rice mills and small-scale industries. Tuni kaja, a sugar-syrup–dipped flaky sweet, is associated specifically with the town and is sold widely along the highway.
Culture
Telugu is the principal language spoken in Tuni. Local festivals follow the Telugu Hindu calendar, with Sankranti, Ugadi, Vinayaka Chavithi and Dasara being prominent. Temples in and around the town serve as religious and social centres, and weekly markets bring together traders from neighbouring villages.
Related topics
- Kakinada district
- Andhra Pradesh
- Coastal Andhra
- National Highway 16 (India)
- Cashew processing in India
- Tuni Assembly constituency
References
- Wikidata: Q2576041
- Government of Andhra Pradesh, Directorate of Municipal Administration.
- Census of India, town directory entries for Tuni.