Gitnux/Report 2026

Cashew Industry Statistics

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Cashew Industry Statistics
Samuel NorbergWritten by Samuel Norberg·Fact-checked by Maya Johansson
Published
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

An editor sets the topic, the inclusion criteria, and the evaluation framework before research starts.

02Source Research

AI search agents locate sources and extract each figure together with the document it came from.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 31 days

01 Industry overview

The cashew industry at a glance

The cashew industry is expanding steadily: global cashew-kernel demand reached an estimated 1.18 million tonnes in 2024, while in-shell production reached 4.24 million tonnes.

$6.3B[69]
Market size, 2024
5.4%[69]
Forecast CAGR, 2025–2030
4.24M tonnes[3]
Global production, 2024
22.3%[70]
Côte d’Ivoire production share, 2024
Market size
The global cashew-kernel market was valued at $6.3 billion in 2024. Grand View Research estimates the market at $7.0 billion in 2026 and $8.6 billion by 2030.[69]
Forecast & CAGR
The global cashew-kernel market is forecast to grow at a 5.4% CAGR from 2025 to 2030. A separate 2026 estimate values the broader cashew market at $7.98 billion in 2025 and projects $11.08 billion by 2034, implying a 3.6% CAGR from 2026 to 2034.[69][71]
Market share & regions
Asia-Pacific accounted for 45.8% of global cashew-kernel market revenue in 2024. On the production side, Côte d’Ivoire supplied 22.3% of global in-shell cashews in 2024, India 18.7% and Tanzania 12.5%, giving the three leading producers a combined 53.5% share.[69][70]
Segmentation
White whole kernels were the largest product segment, with a 49.5% revenue share in 2023. Supermarkets and hypermarkets were the leading distribution channel in 2023, while demand is also supported by cashew-based milk, cheese, yogurt and spreads.[69][71]
Key players & concentration
Production is geographically concentrated, with Côte d’Ivoire, India and Tanzania accounting for 53.5% of global in-shell output in 2024. Processing and export supply chains remain more fragmented, spanning major processors and traders in Vietnam, India, West Africa and East Africa.[70][3]
Pricing
Global cashew prices averaged $7,788 per metric tonne in the reported 2026 period, down 1.3% from $7,894 per tonne. The decline was attributed to larger African raw-nut supplies and a new Brazilian harvest, while prices remained above the second quarter of 2025 in Vietnam.[72]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Demand is being supported by health-oriented snacking, plant-based diets and the use of cashews in dairy alternatives. The industry also faces climate, labor, traceability and financing risks, particularly in West African supply chains, where smallholder production and processing capacity remain important constraints.[71][73][3]
Consumer behavior & competition
India represented 33% of global cashew-kernel consumption in the 2025 consumer map, followed by Europe at 19%, the United States at 16% and China at 14%. Competition is increasingly based on origin integration, processing efficiency, product quality and access to health- and plant-based food channels.[3][71]
M&A
In November 2026, Pajson Agro approved the acquisition of 100% of Dubai-based Pacific Global FZCO for ₹354.52 crore through a share swap. The transaction would add 60,000 tonnes of annual raw-cashew processing capacity in Côte d’Ivoire and raise Pajson Agro’s planned total capacity to about 113,000 tonnes.[74]
Regulation
The EU Deforestation Regulation covers cashew nuts through the relevant-product scope and requires supply-chain due diligence, including plot geolocation and proof that products are not linked to deforestation. The regulation applies to medium and large operators from December 30, 2026, and to most micro and small operators from June 30, 2027.[75][76]
Latest news
The most recent industry transaction identified was Pajson Agro’s November 2026 agreement to acquire Pacific Global FZCO, an origin-based processor in Côte d’Ivoire. The deal reflects continued vertical integration as processors seek direct access to raw-nut supply and African processing capacity.[74]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Cashew Industry

The leading companies in the cashew industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 11, 2026 · Next review December 11, 2026

Verdict

Intersnack Group leads Gitnux's 2026 cashew ranking with an Overall score of 9.5, with Vietnam Intersnack Cashew as a major Vietnamese exporter. Hoang Son 1 is the highest-ranked cashew processor at 9.4, with cashew exports to more than 40 countries.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in snack manufacturing with cashews

    Intersnack Group

    DE

    Ranked #1 · 9.5 · Snack manufacturing with cashews

    Why we picked it: It runs cashew processing tied to a Vietnam export operation alongside snack manufacturing.

    See in ranking ↓Visit intersnackgroup.com ↗

  2. Leader in cashew processing & export

    Hoang Son 1

    VN

    Ranked #2 · 9.4 · Cashew processing & export

    Why we picked it: It combines roasting and export in one processing and trading segment with broad country coverage.

    See in ranking ↓Visit hoangson1.vn ↗

  3. Leader in cashew origination & trading

    Olam Group

    SG

    Ranked #3 · 9.1 · Cashew origination & trading

    Why we picked it: It anchors sourcing and processing in cashew supply chains that service global export routes.

    See in ranking ↓Visit olamgroup.com ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Picks 2 and 3 are the highest-ranked companies in the top 5 that add a new segment.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the cashew industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

Intersnack Group

Snack manufacturing with cashews · DE

9.5
2

Hoang Son 1

Cashew processing & export · VN

9.4
3

Olam Group

Cashew origination & trading · SG

9.1
4

Lafooco

Cashew processing & export · VN

8.7
5

Valency International

Cashew origination & trading · SG

8.6
6

Tan Long Group

Cashew processing & export · VN

8.3
7

Red River Foods

Cashew processing & export · US

8.1
8

Cao Phat

Cashew processing & export · VN

7.8
9

Long Son

Cashew processing & export · VN

7.6
10

Hai Viet

Cashew processing & export · VN

7.3

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
  • Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
  • Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
  • Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 11, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 11). Top 10 companies in the cashew industry. In Cashew Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cashew-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Comparison

Global cashew production share by region or country, kernel basis

Western Africa holds the largest share at 55%.

Western Africa55%
India16%
Cambodia12%
Eastern Africa7%
Viet Nam6%
Others5%
source-verifiedinc.nutfruit.org

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

The section quantifies mechanization effects on throughput and labor, including 10 times higher automated productivity versus manual in sorting to packaging workflows.

Automation in the cashew industry

  • 57.3% of the global cashew-processing-equipment market was attributed to industrial processing applications in 2026.[1]
  • 10 times higher productivity was reported for automated cashew processing than manual processing across sorting, shelling, peeling, grading and packaging in an India study published in 2018.[2]
  • 10,000 tonnes of raw cashew nuts per year was given as a rough minimum capacity for full mechanisation of a processing plant.[3]
  • Up to 70% lower labour needs in sorting were associated with mechanisation in Vietnam’s cashew-processing sector.[4]
  • 40.6% of the global cashew-processing-equipment market was attributed to automatic equipment in 2026.[1]
  • Up to 10 times fewer workers per factory were required after mechanisation of cashew processing, depending on the process, according to a Cambodia value-chain analysis.[5]

Digital Transformation in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across the EU agri-food industrial ecosystem, 20% of companies had a concrete digital-transformation strategy in 2024.[6]
  • Among EU food-manufacturing enterprises, 51.2% had very low digital intensity in 2023, down from 55.1% in 2021.[6]
  • In the United States, 61% of farmers reported adopting digital agronomy technologies in 2024.[7]
  • Among EU food-manufacturing enterprises, 15.4% had high digital intensity in 2023, compared with 13.0% in 2021.[6]
  • Among EU food-manufacturing enterprises, 3.4% had very high digital intensity in 2023, compared with 2.1% in 2021.[6]

Technology Adoption in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • In Germany, 85.5% of surveyed farms used at least one digital technology in 2024–2025.[8]
  • In Chile, 12% of agricultural production units reported using a technological tool such as mobile applications, drones, or sensors in 2021.[8]
  • In Czechia, 30% of crop-production farmers used at least one precision-agriculture technology in 2023.[8]
  • Across EU farms with utilised agricultural area, about 18% used some form of precision-farming technology or practice in 2023.[8]
  • Across EU farms, 43% had internet access, 11% used farm-management information systems, and 7% used robotics in 2023.[8]
  • In Canada, 84% of field-crop operations used GPS equipment in 2021.[8]

Cloud Computing in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among EU large businesses, 78% purchased cloud-computing services in 2023, compared with 44% of SMEs.[9]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 26% used cloud computing in 2023.[6]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 37% used cloud computing in 2024, up from 26% in 2023.[6]
  • Across EU businesses, 45% purchased cloud-computing services in 2023.[9]

Big Data in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • In Germany, 5.0% of surveyed farms used artificial-intelligence or big-data technologies in 2024–2025.[8]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 17% used big-data technologies in 2023.[6]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 307 startups focused on artificial intelligence and big data were formed between 2015 and 2023.[6]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 13% used big-data technologies in 2024, compared with 17% in 2023.[6]

IoT in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 24% used Internet of Things technologies in 2024, up from 10% in 2023.[6]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 10% used Internet of Things technologies in 2023.[6]
  • Across EU farms with livestock, about 11% used animal-welfare or health-monitoring systems in 2023.[8]
  • Among agri-food companies investing more than 30% of annual turnover in digital technologies, 5.41% prioritised Internet of Things technologies in 2024.[6]

Innovation in the cashew industry

  • 345,000 tonnes of raw cashew nuts were processed domestically in Côte d’Ivoire in 2024, up from 68,515 tonnes in 2015 following sector investment and processing expansion.[10]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

The dataset focus is measurement and data governance: 11 producing countries tracked and survey results showing 69% reliance on spreadsheets and email for core operations in 2025.

Business intelligence in the cashew industry

  • 11 producing countries were tracked in the Atlas cashew market-intelligence dataset.[11]
  • 495,607 metric tons of in-shell cashews were imported by India between April and July 2026.[12]
  • ₹120.38 per kilogram was India’s average raw-cashew import price in fiscal year 2024–25.[12]
  • 77,806.41 metric tons of in-shell cashews were exported by India in fiscal year 2025–26.[12]
  • 11.41 lakh metric tons of raw cashew nuts were imported by India in fiscal year 2024–25, according to the AICTIC trade-intelligence dashboard.[12]
  • 6.16 million hectares was the global harvested area for cashew nuts in 2023 in the Atlas cashew dataset.[11]

Data analytics in the cashew industry

  • 2,300 kilograms per month was the average raw-cashew boiling volume reported for the analyzed facility in 2025.[13]
  • 190.7 tonnes of raw cashew were boiled in 2025 in the operational dataset analyzed by the cashew-processing systems study.[13]
  • 100,000 Mozambican cashew farmers had been registered in the first phase of the ConnectCaju digital information system by 2019.[14]
  • 65 to 70 active pickers per day were recorded at the studied cashew facility by mid-2025.[13]
  • 30 to 35 active pickers per day were recorded at the studied cashew facility in mid-2024.[13]
  • 100% of the first-phase ConnectCaju farmer-registration target was reached when 100,000 farmers were registered, according to TechnoServe’s report.[14]

Data Quality in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • 41% of manufacturers said they distrusted the data used for supply-chain operations in 2025, reflecting persistent data-quality concerns in production and procurement.[15]
  • 49% of manufacturing respondents rated their operational data as having low AI readiness in 2024, meaning it was insufficiently labeled, contextualized, governed or accessible.[16]
  • 30% of manufacturing respondents identified poor-quality data as one of their top three challenges when working with AI-related data in 2024.[16]
  • 42% of manufacturers reported having a process to verify operational data accuracy or quality in 2025, indicating that most lacked a formal validation process.[16]
  • 44% of manufacturers reported that AI projects had failed because of poor data quality in 2025, according to a survey of manufacturing organizations.[15]

Data Governance in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • 6% of food and beverage leaders reported fully integrated digital systems in 2025, despite 82% saying technology adoption was a strategic priority.[17]
  • 40% of food and beverage professionals worldwide identified disconnected systems and data as their biggest barrier to moving faster in 2026.[17]
  • 69% of food and beverage companies still relied on spreadsheets and email for core operations in 2025, limiting standardized access and control of business data.[17]
  • 61% of manufacturers reported having a corporate-wide governance plan, strategy or formal guidelines for how data is collected, organized, accessed and used in 2024.[16]
  • 15% of manufacturers said their data strategy was entirely aligned with their overall business strategy in 2024, while 31% said it was very closely aligned.[16]
  • 61% of supply-management organizations reported having a dedicated data-governance function in 2024, while 90% agreed that data governance was necessary.[18]

KPIs in the cashew industry

  • €3,900 per tonne was Dekel Agri-Vision’s average sales price for peeled cashews in fiscal year 2023.[19]
  • 21.9% was Dekel Agri-Vision’s cashew extraction rate in fiscal year 2023.[19]
  • €3,200 per tonne was Dekel Agri-Vision’s average sales price for unpeeled cashews in fiscal year 2023.[19]
  • 1,751 tonnes was Dekel Agri-Vision’s closing raw-cashew inventory in fiscal year 2023.[19]
  • 265 tonnes of cashews were sold by Dekel Agri-Vision in fiscal year 2023.[19]
  • 330 tonnes of cashews were produced by Dekel Agri-Vision in fiscal year 2023.[19]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Capacity and trade patterns drive growth planning, including Côte d’Ivoire processing capacity rising to 344,000 metric tons by 2024 from 40,400 in 2016.

Growth in the cashew industry

  • Côte d’Ivoire’s cashew-processing capacity increased from 40,400 metric tons in 2016 to 344,000 metric tons in 2024.[20]
  • Western Africa produced 640,140 metric tons of cashews in 2023/24 on a kernel basis, representing 55% of global production.[20]
  • India’s raw-cashew-nut imports more than doubled from 565,000 metric tons in 2010 to nearly 1.2 million metric tons in 2024.[20]
  • Cambodia produced 144,900 metric tons of cashews in 2023/24 on a kernel basis, representing 12% of global production.[20]
  • Global cashew production increased from 3.29 million metric tons in 2014/15 to 5.39 million metric tons in 2023/24, measured in-shell.[20]
  • Côte d’Ivoire’s cashew-processing capacity was projected to reach approximately 500,000 metric tons in 2025.[20]

Strategic partnerships in the cashew industry

  • 50,000 metric tons per year is the planned capacity of a new Dorado Free Zone cashew-processing plant in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire, supported by IFC investment.[21]
  • US$28.7 million in investment commitments were secured from three foreign companies to support Côte d’Ivoire’s local cashew-processing sector.[22]
  • 15,000 metric tons per year is the planned processing capacity of Robust International’s greenfield plant in Toumodi, Côte d’Ivoire.[23]
  • US$20 million in credit from Finnfund and Norfund financed Valency’s Côte d’Ivoire cashew-processing plant, which had annual capacity of 45,000 metric tons.[24]
  • US$20 million was arranged by GuarantCo and Symbiotics for Robust International to finance a Côte d’Ivoire cashew-processing plant.[23]
  • US$24 million was the announced value of a cashew-processing project involving Côte d’Ivoire’s Cotton and Cashew Council and Rosyson.[22]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Workforce outcomes are quantified via job creation and gender distribution; Côte d’Ivoire’s cashew value chain created 18,321 jobs by 2024, with 66% held by women.

Hiring in the cashew industry

  • 18,321 jobs were created in Côte d’Ivoire’s cashew sector through investments in the value chain, including processing, farm services and logistics, by 2024.[10]
  • 150 jobs were created in supply-chain logistics through Côte d’Ivoire’s cashew value-chain investments by 2024.[10]
  • 958 jobs were created in farm inputs and service delivery through Côte d’Ivoire’s cashew value-chain investments by 2024.[10]
  • 70% of the stakeholder-interview effort in the Prosper Cashew assessment focused on Côte d’Ivoire, with 20% focused on Nigeria and 10% on Ghana.[14]
  • 43 stakeholder interviews informed a 2021 assessment of women’s and youth participation in cashew processing and support services in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria.[14]

Remote Work in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. agriculture and food employers, 35% offered some type of remote-work arrangement in 2024, according to AgCareers’ industry hiring report.[25]
  • Across U.S. accommodation and food services, 4.8% of workers worked remotely in 2021, up from 1.9% in 2019 and 5.3% in 2020.[26]
  • Across U.S. agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, about 12% of workers worked remotely during October 2023–September 2024, including hybrid and fully remote work.[27]
  • Across U.S. crop and animal production, 14.4% of workers worked remotely in 2021, compared with 14.7% in 2019 and 15.4% in 2020.[26]

Hybrid Work in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • 21% of Australian FMCG and agribusiness professionals reported working fully remotely in 2024.[28]
  • Among science-of-food professionals surveyed globally in 2024, respondents averaged 2.1 work-at-home days per week.[29]
  • 13% of Australian FMCG and agribusiness professionals preferred full-time on-site work in 2024.[28]
  • 44% of Australian FMCG and agribusiness professionals preferred part-time remote work in 2024.[28]
  • 33% of Australian FMCG and agribusiness professionals reported working in hybrid arrangements in 2024.[28]

Employee Engagement in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • In the agriculture industry, employees averaged 7.68 out of 10 for engagement and an eNPS of +5 in CultureMonkey’s 2026 benchmark.[30]
  • At Europe Snacks, a multinational food manufacturer, employee engagement reached 79% across its international workforce and 88% in its UK business after a structured listening program.[31]
  • Employees in manufacture, distribution and storage organizations scored 60.9% on enablement in People Insight’s global benchmark data.[31]
  • Employees in manufacture, distribution and storage organizations scored 59.3% on leadership in People Insight’s global benchmark data.[31]
  • Manufacture, distribution and storage organizations recorded an average employee-engagement score of 72.9% in People Insight’s global benchmark data.[31]

DEI in the cashew industry

  • 37% of supervisors and managers in Cambodian micro, small and medium cashew units were women on average, with a reported range of 0% to 50%.[5]
  • 66% of the 18,321 jobs created in Côte d’Ivoire’s cashew value chain by 2024 were held by women.[10]
  • 60% of the workforce at one Côte d’Ivoire cooperative’s cashew-processing unit were women after the unit created about 50 stable jobs.[10]
  • 71% of production workers in Cambodian micro, small and medium cashew units were women on average, with reported ranges of 66% to 90%.[5]
  • 80% of production workers in large, export-oriented Cambodian cashew units were women on average, with reported ranges of 66% to 90%.[5]

Change Management in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among food and beverage processors surveyed in 2020, 37% reported expansions, renovations or added capacity as structural changes.[32]
  • Among food and beverage processors surveyed in 2020, 53% reported conducting safety-related training as a structural change.[32]
  • Among food and beverage processors surveyed in 2020, 31% reported changing elements of their supply chain as a structural change.[32]
  • Among consumer packaged goods executives surveyed, 54% said resources dedicated to change programs had increased during the previous 12 months.[33]
  • Among food and beverage processors surveyed in 2020, 40% reported changing a process as a structural change.[32]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Channel and awareness signals are quantified for demand planning, including 57% of surveyed European consumers buying cashew products in supermarkets.

Customer experience in the cashew industry

  • 57% of surveyed European consumers bought cashew products in supermarkets, based on an 88-person consumer infographic survey with no stated fieldwork year.[34]
  • 38% of surveyed European consumers preferred environmentally friendly cashew packaging, based on an 88-person consumer infographic survey with no stated fieldwork year.[34]
  • 63% of surveyed European consumers rated cashews five out of five, based on an 88-person consumer infographic survey with no stated fieldwork year.[34]
  • 73% of surveyed European consumers did not know how cashews were produced, based on an 88-person consumer infographic survey with no stated fieldwork year.[34]
  • 21% of surveyed European consumers wanted cashew-product origin shown on packaging, based on an 88-person consumer infographic survey with no stated fieldwork year.[34]

Customer acquisition in the cashew industry

  • 61.4% of surveyed U.S. consumers had purchased cashews during the previous year in a nationally representative tree-nut consumption survey fielded in 2022.[35]
  • 62% of surveyed U.S. consumers had purchased cashews during the previous year in a 2022 consumer survey of tree-nut purchasing.[35]
  • 32% of surveyed U.S. consumers named cashews their favorite tree nut in a 2022 consumer survey.[35]

Customer loyalty in the cashew industry

  • 3% of surveyed European consumers reported never eating cashews, based on an 88-person consumer infographic survey with no stated fieldwork year.[34]
  • 29% of surveyed European consumers valued raw cashews, based on an 88-person consumer infographic survey with no stated fieldwork year.[34]
  • 7% of surveyed European consumers reported eating cashews every day, based on an 88-person consumer infographic survey with no stated fieldwork year.[34]
  • 48% of surveyed European consumers valued cashews in mixed-nut products, based on an 88-person consumer infographic survey with no stated fieldwork year.[34]
  • 43% of U.S. consumers named cashews their favorite nut for snacking and trail mixes in a survey conducted in February 2026.[36]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Consumer and farmer information flows show gaps and preferences: 73% of surveyed European consumers did not know how cashews were produced.

Marketing in the cashew industry

  • 8.3% of surveyed cashew farmers sold directly to exporters every time in a 2020 study of 120 farmers.[37]
  • 67% of surveyed cashew farmers identified cashew buyers as their main source of market information in a 2020 study of 120 farmers.[37]
  • 8.3% of surveyed cashew farmers sold directly to processors every time in a 2020 study of 120 farmers.[37]
  • 18.3% of surveyed cashew farmers sold through village markets every time in a 2020 study of 120 farmers.[37]
  • 11.7% of surveyed cashew farmers sold through licensed buying agents every time in a 2020 study of 120 farmers.[37]

Branding in the cashew industry

  • 43% of U.S. respondents recalled cashews unaided among their top three tree nuts in a July 2017 awareness survey.[38]
  • 56% of surveyed European consumers valued fair-trade attributes when choosing cashew products, based on an 88-person consumer infographic survey with no stated fieldwork year.[34]
  • 52% of surveyed European consumers said they were not aware of cashews’ health benefits, based on an 88-person consumer infographic survey with no stated fieldwork year.[34]
  • 43% of surveyed European consumers valued organic attributes when choosing cashew products, based on an 88-person consumer infographic survey with no stated fieldwork year.[34]
  • 57% of surveyed European consumers valued product appearance when choosing cashew products, based on an 88-person consumer infographic survey with no stated fieldwork year.[34]

Influencer Marketing in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Food and drink influencer content involved 78,800 profiles globally in 2023, based on Sprout Social’s benchmark dataset.[39]
  • Food and drink influencer content generated 392 billion impressions globally in 2023.[39]
  • Food and drink influencer posts achieved a 1.19% average engagement rate globally in 2023.[39]
  • Food and drink influencer content generated 42.7 billion engagements globally in 2023.[39]
  • Food and drink influencer content produced an estimated $122 billion in earned media value globally in 2023.[39]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Operational performance and quality constraints are documented with processing yields and kernel quality indicators, including up to 5% maximum moisture for cashew kernels.

Process optimization in the cashew industry

  • 280% higher daily whole-kernel production was recorded by Tanzanian treatment groups than control groups in 2021.[40]
  • 114 kg of whole white kernels were produced per day by Tanzanian treatment groups in 2021.[40]
  • 19 kg of whole white kernels were produced per 80 kg of raw cashew nuts by Tanzanian treatment groups in 2021.[40]
  • 48 pounds was the kernel outturn ratio recorded at project-supported processing units in 2024.[41]
  • 714 kg per hectare was the average cashew yield achieved by supported orchards in 2025.[41]

Operational efficiency in the cashew industry

  • 41.7% was the processing-capacity utilization rate in Nigeria in 2018.[42]
  • 50.6% was the processing-capacity utilization rate in Mozambique in 2018.[42]
  • 50.9% was the processing-capacity utilization rate in Ghana in 2018.[42]
  • 23.8% was the processing-capacity utilization rate in Tanzania in 2018.[42]
  • 80.6% was the processing-capacity utilization rate in Viet Nam in 2018.[42]

Quality management in the cashew industry

  • 1 meq/kg maximum peroxide value is specified as an approximate quality characteristic for cashew kernels.[43]
  • 5% maximum moisture is specified as an approximate quality characteristic for cashew kernels.[43]
  • 25 g is the sample quantity in which Salmonella is required to be negative under the listed approximate quality characteristics.[43]
  • 96.7% of Kenyan cashew samples complied with aflatoxin limits across 122 samples collected from 2012 to 2024.[44]
  • 500 cfu/g maximum yeast-and-mould count is specified as an approximate microbiological quality characteristic for cashew kernels.[43]

Supply chain in the cashew industry

  • 6,300 tonnes was the capacity of the large cashew warehouse ultimately built under Côte d’Ivoire’s value-chain project.[41]
  • 145,000 tonnes was the combined processing capacity represented by seven private cashew companies allocated industrial plots in Côte d’Ivoire by late 2025.[41]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • 2% of Canadian food and beverage companies outsourced production entirely to third-party manufacturers in 2020.[45]
  • 66% of Queensland food-processing businesses engaged in contract manufacturing to some extent in 2010, including contracting work in or out.[46]
  • About 12% of firms in the 11-country World Bank Firm-level Adoption of Technology sample outsourced at least one food-processing function, compared with about 18% in apparel.[41]
  • 19% of surveyed Queensland food-processing businesses contracted work out in 2010, while 28% contracted work in and 15% did both.[46]
  • 85% of Canadian food and beverage companies processed or manufactured products internally in 2020, while 13% both produced internally and outsourced production.[45]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Pricing and economics are tracked with 2026 period averages, including global cashew prices averaging $7,788 per metric tonne, down 1.3% from $7,894.

Pricing strategy in the cashew industry

  • $2.35 per kg of raw-nut equivalent was the Indian kernel export price to the European Union in 2018.[42]
  • FCFA 340–394 per kg was the average farm-gate price at project completion for raw cashew nuts in Côte d’Ivoire.[41]
  • FCFA 700 per kg was the farm-gate price assumed in the appraisal model for supported cashew farms.[41]
  • $0.675 per kg was the 2018 farm-gate price of raw cashew nuts in Côte d’Ivoire.[42]
  • $25 per kg was the approximate retail price for branded roasted and salted cashews in the European Union example.[42]

Cost reduction in the cashew industry

  • 43% of production costs were attributed to hired labor in Vietnam’s cashew production estimate.[41]
  • 62% higher annual fixed costs were incurred by Tanzanian treatment groups than control groups after adopting improved processing equipment.[40]
  • $0.60–$1.96 per kg of raw cashew nuts was the estimated production cost range in Nigeria, excluding planting costs.[41]
  • 13%–21% of production costs were attributed to hired labor in the Nigerian cashew production estimates.[41]
  • 36% higher total seasonal costs were incurred by Tanzanian treatment groups than control groups after adopting improved processing equipment in 2021.[40]

Profitability in the cashew industry

  • 207% higher seasonal profit was achieved by Tanzanian treatment groups than control groups in 2021.[40]
  • 41% was the projected financial internal rate of return for a 3-hectare supported smallholder cashew farm at appraisal.[41]
  • $7.4 million was the completion net present value for the 10,000-tonne cashew-processing plant model.[41]
  • 16.2% was the financial internal rate of return for the 6,300-tonne cashew warehouse built under the Côte d’Ivoire project.[41]
  • 24.7% was the updated financial internal rate of return for the supported smallholder cashew-farm model at project completion.[41]

Financial planning in the cashew industry

  • $1,370 was the projected net present value for a 3-hectare supported smallholder cashew farm at a 10% discount rate.[41]
  • $2,700 was the updated net present value per supported cashew farmer at project completion.[41]
  • $141,000 was the completion net present value for the 6,300-tonne cashew warehouse.[41]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

Product and capacity figures connect processing scale to output and by-product value, including up to 20,000 tonnes of raw-cashew processing capacity reported for Cao Phat.

Product development in the cashew industry

  • 3,400 jobs are targeted through BeninCajù, including at least 70% for women, alongside expanded cashew processing and by-product development.[14]
  • US$9.2 million was estimated as the investment required for a modern 20,000-metric-tonne cashew-processing factory in Ghana.[47]
  • 500 daily workers and 120 full-time workers could be employed by a modern 20,000-metric-tonne Ghanaian cashew-processing factory.[47]
  • 3,001.82 metric tons of roasted and other value-added cashew products were exported by India in fiscal year 2025–26.[12]
  • 10,000 tonnes is the annual capacity of Tanzania’s Tankom cashew processing and oil-extraction facility.[48]

Product lifecycle in the cashew industry

  • 10 to 25 days of additional storage life can be achieved for cashew apples using modified-atmosphere packaging, depending on cultivar.[49]
  • 23% was the average industrial processing yield reported for cashew kernels across size categories in a TechnoServe processing assessment.[14]
  • 18% was the reported processing yield for large cashew nuts in the TechnoServe industrial-yield table.[14]
  • 15 to 20 days is the reported refrigerated storage life of cashew apples at 5°C and 85%–90% relative humidity.[49]
  • 26% was the reported processing yield for lower-sized cashew nuts in the TechnoServe industrial-yield table.[14]

Value proposition in the cashew industry

  • More than 50% higher foreign-exchange earnings were projected for Tanzania if processed cashews replaced raw-cashew exports, according to the processors’ association.[48]
  • 30,000 tonnes is the annual production capacity of the Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation’s 30 factories.[50]
  • 15,000 people were employed in Mozambique’s cashew-processing plants in 2019, overwhelmingly women.[14]
  • US$583.7 million was Tanzania’s provisional cashew-export revenue for the 2024–25 season.[48]
  • 1.4 million farmers relied on Mozambique’s cashew sector for sustainable livelihoods in 2019.[14]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Sustainability performance is shown with quantified emissions and workforce contract baselines, including Cashew Coast reducing processing emissions by more than 60% between 2022 and 2024.

Sustainability in the cashew industry

  • About 80% of workers in Mozambique’s shelling, peeling, sorting and classification sections were women, according to a sector review.[51]
  • Over 80% of Cashew Coast’s employees in Côte d’Ivoire held permanent contracts, compared with 15% reported for the country’s cashew industry.[52]
  • 385 workers were surveyed across six Mozambican raw-cashew-nut processing factories for a tridimensional sustainability study.[53]
  • Côte d’Ivoire’s domestic cashew-processing capacity increased from 68,515 tonnes in 2015 to 350,000 tonnes in 2024.[10]
  • 18,321 jobs had been created through Côte d’Ivoire’s cashew-processing development program by 2024, with women holding 66% of them.[10]

ESG in the cashew industry

  • 88 international fixed-term workers supported Dorado Cashew’s operations in March 2026, including 3 women and 85 men.[21]
  • Cashew Coast reduced processing emissions by more than 60% between 2022 and 2024, according to a value-chain sustainability benchmark.[53]
  • 24 of Dorado Cashew’s 96 permanent employees were women in March 2026, representing 25% of the permanent workforce.[21]
  • Cashew Coast recorded a production carbon footprint of minus 1,166 kilograms of CO2-equivalent per tonne of raw cashew nuts.[53]
  • Sonata Agri reported that more than 70% of its workforce were women in its sustainability disclosures.[54]

Ethics in the cashew industry

  • 14,469 children were estimated to be engaged in cashew cultivation in Vietnam in the 2012 national child-labor survey.[55]
  • 31.4% of children estimated to be working in Vietnam’s cashew cultivation were aged 12–14 in 2012.[55]
  • 36.97% of surveyed cashew farmers said children participated for only a few hours on some days.[56]
  • 24.3% of children estimated to be working in Vietnam’s cashew cultivation were aged 5–11 in 2012.[55]
  • 55.7% of children estimated to be working in Vietnam’s cashew cultivation were under age 15 in 2012.[55]

CSR in the cashew industry

  • 250,000 cashew farmers are targeted for good-agricultural-practice training under ofi’s 2030 cashew-community program.[57]
  • 500,000 people in cashew communities are targeted for improved nutrition and health under ofi’s 2030 plan.[57]
  • 50,000 cashew farmers are targeted for literacy and numeracy training under ofi’s 2030 program.[57]
  • 5,000 women are targeted to gain access to village savings and loan associations through ofi’s cashew program.[57]
  • 100,000 cashew households are targeted for enhanced-livelihood support under ofi’s 2030 strategy.[57]

Circular economy in the cashew industry

  • Cashew-processing plants in Vietnam discard around 9–10 tonnes of shells for every 3 tonnes of cashew kernels produced.[58]
  • Cashew production was estimated at 3.93 million tonnes per year in a study of cashew-shell-liquid valorization.[59]
  • 14,218 cubic metres of water per tonne of cashews was reported for cashew processing in an Indian value-chain white paper.[60]
  • 95% of cashew apples were reported as wasted because of perishability and limited processing in an Indian value-chain white paper.[60]
  • Cashew-nut-shell liquid accounts for approximately 15% of cashew-shell weight in the Vietnam processing case study.[58]

Carbon footprint in the cashew industry

  • ofi targets renewable sources for 30% of energy consumption in cashew-processing facilities by 2030.[57]
  • A cashew value-chain white paper reported a carbon footprint of 1.56 kilograms of CO2 per kilogram of cashews.[60]
  • Cashew Coast reduced processing emissions by more than 60% between 2022 and 2024.[53]
  • ofi targets a 50% reduction in greenhouse-gas emission intensity across cashew supply chains by 2030.[57]
  • Cashew Coast recorded a production carbon footprint of minus 1,166 kilograms of CO2-equivalent per tonne of raw cashew nuts in Côte d’Ivoire.[53]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

Trade flows are quantified for origin-to-demand mapping, including 32.9% of Vietnam’s raw-cashew import value coming from Cambodia in 2025.

Globalization in the cashew industry

  • 31% of global cashew exports came from Viet Nam in 2023, equivalent to 456,491 metric tons.[20]
  • 1,494,019 metric tons of cashews were exported globally in 2023, measured in kernel equivalent.[20]
  • 144,241 metric tons of shelled cashews were imported into the United States in 2023, representing 17% of the global total.[20]
  • 288,155 metric tons of shelled cashews were imported into Europe in 2023, representing 33% of the global total.[20]
  • 92% of total cashew imports in 2023 were accounted for by Viet Nam and India together.[20]

Supplier management in the cashew industry

  • Up to 10 or more intermediaries were used by most suppliers surveyed in Vietnam’s cashew supply chain.[65]
  • 11 suppliers participated in a 2025 supply-chain mapping analysis of Vietnam’s cashew industry.[65]

Distribution channels in the cashew industry

  • 15% of small and unbranded nut-importer products in Thailand were supplied to bakeries in 2021.[66]
  • 30% of small and unbranded nut-importer products in Thailand were distributed through social commerce in 2021.[66]
  • 40% of branded nut-snack products in Thailand were distributed through convenience stores in 2021.[66]
  • 15% of small and unbranded nut-importer products in Thailand were sold through traditional trade in 2021.[66]
  • 20% of branded nut-snack products in Thailand were distributed through supermarkets in 2021.[66]

16 Statistics

Regional markets

Regional sales and import dependence are quantified, including $1.115 billion of Vietnam’s cashew exports going to China in 2025.

The cashew industry in Vietnam

  • US$1.115 billion of Vietnam’s cashew exports went to China in 2025, compared with US$975 million to the United States.[67]
  • 32.9% of Vietnam’s raw-cashew import value came from Cambodia in 2025, followed by 25.3% from Côte d’Ivoire.[68]
  • 2.942 million tonnes of raw cashew nuts worth approximately US$4.5 billion were imported by Vietnam in 2025.[68]

Key questions about the cashew industry

What was the 2024 cashew-kernel market size?
The global cashew-kernel market was valued at $6.3 billion in 2024.
How fast is the cashew-kernel market expected to grow into 2030?
The market is forecast to grow at a 5.4% CAGR from 2025 to 2030.
Which companies lead the cashew industry?
Intersnack Group leads Gitnux's 2026 cashew ranking with an Overall score of 9.5, with Vietnam Intersnack Cashew as a major Vietnamese exporter. Hoang Son 1 is the highest-ranked cashew processor at 9.4, with cashew exports to more than 40 countries.
Where does mechanization show up in cashew processing performance?
An India study reported 10 times higher productivity with automated processing than manual processing across sorting, shelling, peeling, grading, and packaging. Vietnam mechanization was associated with up to 70% lower labour needs in sorting.
Is cashew supply concentrated by geography?
Yes. Côte d’Ivoire, India, and Tanzania supplied 53.5% of global in-shell output in 2024, while Côte d’Ivoire alone accounted for 22.3% of 2024 in-shell production.
What compliance requirement becomes operational in 2026 for cashew supply chains?
The EU Deforestation Regulation covers cashew nuts and requires due diligence, including plot geolocation and proof products are not linked to deforestation. It applies to medium and large operators from December 30, 2026.
Reference

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA
Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 11). Cashew Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cashew-industry-statistics
MLA
Samuel Norberg. "Cashew Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 11 Nov 2026, https://gitnux.org/cashew-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Cashew Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cashew-industry-statistics.

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