In 2022, global exports of cashew nuts reached a total of US$6.3 billion.

This marked a significant decrease of -15.2% compared to 2018, when exports were valued at $7.5 billion. Year-over-year, the total export revenue for these nutritious and flavorful nuts fell by -9.8% from $7 billion in 2021.

Cashews are highly valued as snack nuts and originate from the fruits of large tropical evergreen trees that can grow up to 46 feet (14 meters). Cashew nut oil is commonly used in cooking and salad dressings, and cashews are also a primary ingredient in making cashew butter.

Geographic Insights on Cashew Exports & Imports

In 2022, the top five cashew exporters—Vietnam, Ivory Coast, India, Ghana, and the Netherlands—accounted for 72.6% of global cashew exports.

From a continental perspective, Asian countries led the market with exports worth $3.1 billion, representing 51% of the global total. Africa followed with 38.6%, while Europe contributed 8.5%, Latin America (excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean) 1.3%, North America 0.6%, and Oceania (led by Australia) 0.01%.

On the import side, the top five importers in 2022 were the United States, Vietnam, Germany, the Netherlands, and mainland China. Together, these countries imported 42.8% of the world's cashews by dollar value.

These figures indicate that cashew exports are more concentrated among a smaller group of countries compared to imports. While the top five exporters make up 72.6% of the market, the top five importers account for 31.9% of global imports.

Regarding continental import data, 56.7% of cashews purchased internationally went to Asian markets. Europe followed with 23.2%, North America 16.3%, Oceania 1.7% (led by Australia), Africa 1.3%, and Latin America (excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean) 0.8%.

Average Prices for Cashews

In 2022, the average price paid by importers for in-shell cashews was $1,163 per ton, a -2.8% decrease from $1,197 in 2021.

Shelled cashews fetched a higher price, with an average import cost of $6,216 per ton in 2022, down -7.3% from $6,708 per ton in 2021. The higher price reflects the labor and processing costs involved in shelling the nuts.

For research purposes, the Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code prefix for fresh or dried cashew nuts in shell is 080131, and for shelled cashew nuts, it is 080132.

In 2022, shelled cashews made up 63.7% of the total value of cashews exported worldwide, while in-shell cashews accounted for 36.3%, an increase from 32.7% the previous year.

Top Cashew Exporting Countries

Here are the top 20 cashew-exporting countries by value in 2022:

1. Vietnam: US$2.7 billion (42.4%)

2. Ivory Coast: $986.9 million (15.6%)

3. India: $359.8 million (5.7%)

4. Ghana: $304 million (4.8%)

5. Netherlands: $265.7 million (4.2%)

6. Nigeria: $206.5 million (3.3%)

7. Germany: $180.5 million (2.8%)

8. Burkina Faso: $144.2 million (2.3%)

9. Mozambique: $75.4 million (1.2%)

10. Brazil: $64 million (1%)

11. Indonesia: $56.3 million (0.9%)

12. United States: $27.5 million (0.4%)

13. Turkey: $24.6 million (0.4%)

14. Myanmar: $20.1 million (0.3%)

15. Spain: $18.8 million (0.3%)

16. Belgium: $17.4 million (0.3%)

17. Honduras: $15.7 million (0.2%)

18. Thailand: $13.9 million (0.2%)

19. United Kingdom: $10.34 million (0.2%)

20. Canada: $9.68 million (0.2%)

These 20 countries collectively exported 86.6% of the world's cashews in 2022. Among them, Honduras, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Mozambique saw significant growth in their export values, while Indonesia, Belgium, Ghana, Brazil, and Canada experienced declines.

Top Cashew Importing Countries

Global spending on cashew imports totaled $6.62 billion in 2022, an 11.6% increase from $8.4 billion in 2018. However, compared to 2021, import expenditures dropped by -28.6% from $9.3 billion.

The top 20 cashew-importing countries by value in 2022 were:

1. United States: US$971.5 million (14.7%)

2. Vietnam: $866.3 million (13.1%)

3. Germany: $428.8 million (6.5%)

4. Netherlands: $298.5 million (4.5%)

5. China: $263.3 million (4%)

6. United Arab Emirates: $150.9 million (2.3%)

7. United Kingdom: $145.5 million (2.2%)

8. France: $121.3 million (1.8%)

9. Canada: $98.8 million (1.5%)

10. Australia: $96.6 million (1.5%)

11. Spain: $92.5 million (1.4%)

12. Japan: $82.7 million (1.3%)

13. Turkey: $75.1 million (1.1%)

14. Italy: $74.4 million (1.1%)

15. Thailand: $65.6 million (1%)

16. Poland: $63.8 million (1%)

17. Israel: $52.5 million (0.8%)

18. Belgium: $40.2 million (0.6%)

19. Saudi Arabia: $35.2 million (0.5%)

20. Switzerland: $30.7 million (0.5%)

These countries purchased 61.3% of the world's cashews in 2022. Turkey, China, Israel, and Spain showed the fastest growth in cashew imports, while Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Belgium, the United States, and Japan saw declines.

In-Shell Cashew Imports: Lowest and Highest Unit Prices

In 2022, the average global import price for in-shell cashews was $1,163 per ton. The countries paying the lowest average prices were:

1. Sri Lanka: US$2 per ton

2. Burkina Faso: $12 per ton (down -45.5%)

3. Togo: $27 per ton (down -3.6%)

4. Burundi: $333 per ton (down -66.7%)

5. Pakistan: $600 per ton (down -82.9%)

Conversely, the highest average prices were paid by:

1. Finland: US$744,000 per ton (up 7,315%)

2. Czech Republic: $23,000 per ton (up 91.7%)

3. Democratic Republic of Congo: $16,500 per ton

4. Luxembourg: $14,000 per ton (up 45.6%)

5. Belgium: $12,564 per ton (up 7.2%)

Shelled Cashew Imports: Lowest and Highest Unit Prices

The average global import price for shelled cashews in 2022 was $6,216 per ton. 

The countries paying the lowest average prices were:

1. Togo: US$77 per ton (up 133.3%)

2. Liberia: $250 per ton (up 125.2%)

3. Lesotho: $394 per ton (down -31%)

4. Kyrgyzstan: $778 per ton (down -18.4%)

5. Vietnam: $935 per ton (down -87.4%)

Meanwhile, the highest average prices were paid by:

1. Antigua & Barbuda: US$39,250 per ton (down -19%)

2. Bermuda: $13,963 per ton (up 4.6%)

3. Marshall Islands: $12,500 per ton (up 31.6%)

4. French Polynesia: $12,333 per ton (up 32.1%)

5. Curaçao: $11,000 per ton (up 84.1%)

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