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Top Cashews Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices

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Cashew nuts
Cashew nuts
In 2022, exports of cashew nuts generated a total US$6.3 billion in international sales.

Worldwide sales of exported cashews shrank by an overall average -15.2% from 5 years earlier in 2018 when exports totaled $7.5 billion.

Year over year, overall export revenues from selling the richly and nutty flavored seed dropped by -9.8% compared to $7 billion in 2021.

Prized by consumers as snack nuts, cashews seeds come from the fruits of large tropical evergreen trees as tall as 46 feet (14 meters). Cashew nut oil is used in cooking and salad dressings. Cashews are also key ingredients to make cashew butter.

Geographic Insights about Cashew Exports & Imports

By value, the 5 biggest exporters of cashews (Vietnam, Africa’s Ivory Coast, India, Ghana and the Netherlands) sold well over two-thirds (72.6%) of all cashews exported during 2022.

Applying a continental perspective, countries in Asia supplied the highest dollar worth of exported cashews during 2022 with shipments valued at $3.1 billion or 51% of the global total. In second place were exporters in Africa (38.6%) trailed by those in Europe (8.5%), Latin America (1.3%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, North America (0.6%), and Oceania (0.01%) led by Australia.

Shifting our focus to imports, the 5 leading importers of cashews in 2022 were United States of America, Vietnam, Germany, Netherlands and mainland China. Collectively, that quintet of most valuable import countries bought over two-fifths (42.8%) of globally imported cashews as measured by dollar value.

The above percentages suggest the total 100 exporting countries for cashews (72.6% for the corresponding top 5 exporters) is a more concentrated cohort compared to about 180 buying countries, islands and territories. At 31.9%, the top 5 importers accounted for a smaller portion of its world total for imported cashews.

As for continental data for global imports of cashews, 56.7% of cashews purchased on international markets was delivered to customers in Asia ahead of the percentage share for importers in Europe (23.2%), North America (16.3%), Oceania (1.7%) led by Australia, Africa (1.3%), and Latin America (0.8%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean.

We calculated the average unit price paid by importers of cashews still in-shell to be $1,163 per ton in 2022. That dollar amount reflects a -2.8% drop from the average tonnage rate of $1,197 during 2021.

Unsurprisingly, exports of shelled cashews attract a higher unit price. For shelled cashews, the average unit price paid by importers was $6,216 per ton in 2022 down by -7.3% from the average tonnage rate of $6,708 for 2021. The higher average price results in part from shelling labor costs and other processing expenses.

For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 080131 for fresh or dried cashew nuts in shell, and 080132 for fresh or dried shelled cashew nuts.

Drilling down on those categories, just over two-thirds (63.7%) of cashews exported worldwide by dollar value were for shelled cashews. The remaining 36.3% was paid for cashews in shell, up from 32.7% one year earlier.

Top Cashews Exports by Country

Below are the top 20 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of cashews during 2022, regardless of whether the shipped cashews were in-shell or shelled.

  1. Vietnam: US$2.7 billion (42.4% of total exported cashews)
  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. Türkiye: $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%)

By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 86.6% of globally exported cashews in 2022.

Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing exporters of cashews since 2021 were: Honduras (up 3,764%), United Kingdom (up 42.7%), Spain (up 40%) and Mozambique (up 37.3%).

Those countries that posted declines in their exported cashews sales were led by: Indonesia (down -49.2%), Belgium (down -45.4%), Ghana (down -34.9%), Brazil (down -33.9%) and Canada (down -25.5%).

Top Cashews Imports by Country

Overall spending on imported cashews was a reported $6.62 billion for 2022. That dollar metric reflects an 11.6% rise from $8.4 billion five years earlier in 2018. Starting from $9.3 billion for 2021, total purchases of imported cashews dropped by -28.6% year over year.

Below are the 20 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of cashews imported during 2022, for any cashews regardless of whether shelled or not.

  1. United States: US$971.5 million (14.7% of total imported cashews)
  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. Türkiye: $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%)

By value, the listed 20 countries bought 61.3% of globally imported cashews in 2022.

Among the top importers, the fastest-growing cashews importers since 2021 were: Türkiye (up 30.1%), mainland China (up 29.3%), Israel (up 20%) and Spain (up 8.9%).

The leading countries where buyers posted declines in their imported cashews purchases were led by: Vietnam (down -76.9% from 2021), Saudi Arabia (down -45.6%), Belgium (down -44.1%), United States of America (down -20.3%) and Japan (down -19.4%).

Imported In-Shell Cashews: Lowest and Highest Unit Prices

In 2022, the world’s average unit price for imports of in-shell cashews was US$1,163 per ton.

Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported in-shell cashews in 2022.

  1. Sri Lanka: US$2 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
  2. Burkina Faso: $12 per ton (down -45.5% from 2021)
  3. Togo: $27 per ton (down -3.6%)
  4. Burundi: $333 per ton (down -66.7%)
  5. Pakistan: $600 per ton (down -82.9%)
  6. Ghana: $748 per ton (up 26.1%)
  7. Algeria: $1,014 per ton (down -6.1%)
  8. Vietnam: $1,053 per ton (down 0%)
  9. Mali: $1,117 per ton (down -5%)
  10. Thailand: $1,118 per ton (down -20.6%)
  11. mainland China: $1,120 per ton (up 24.7%)
  12. Kazakhstan: $1,144 per ton (up 0.5%)
  13. Nepal: $1,247 per ton (down -76.8%)
  14. Indonesia: $1,285 per ton (up 18.2%)
  15. Laos: $1,292 per ton (up 158.4%)

There were 5 reductions in average unit price paid per ton for in-shell cashews from 2021 to 2022. These were low-cost importers in Pakistan (down -82.9%), Nepal (down -76.8%), Burundi (down -66.7%), Burkina Faso (down -45.5%) then Thailand (down -20.6%).

The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported in-shell cashews.

  1. Finland: US$744,000 per ton (up 7,315% from 2021)
  2. Czech Republic: $23,000 per ton (up 91.7%)
  3. Democratic Republic of Congo: $16,500 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
  4. Luxembourg: $14,000 per ton (up 45.6%)
  5. Belgium: $12,564 per ton (up 7.2%)
  6. Iceland: $11,000 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
  7. Norway: $10,214 per ton (down -29.6%)
  8. Mauritius: $10,143 per ton (up 8.7%)
  9. Bhutan: $10,000 per ton (down -13%)
  10. Bermuda: $10,000 per ton (down -23.1%)
  11. Saint Lucia: $10,000 per ton (up 5.3%)
  12. Switzerland: $9,800 per ton (down -12.2%)
  13. Portugal: $9,545 per ton (down -9.9%)
  14. Seychelles: $9,444 per ton (up 21.9%)
  15. Maldives: $9,220 per ton (down -20.1%)

The greatest increases in terms of higher average unit prices in 2022 compared to 2021 were paid by importers in Finland (up 7,315%), Czech Republic (up 91.7%), Luxembourg (up 45.6%) and Seychelles (up 21.9%).

Imported Shelled Cashews: Lowest and Highest Unit Prices

In 2022, the world’s average unit price for imports of shelled cashews was US$6,216 per ton.

Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported cashews in 2022 that that have already had their shells removed.

  1. Togo: US$77 per ton (up 133.3% from 2021)
  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%)
  6. Cambodia: $1,000 per ton (up 8%)
  7. Saint Helena: $1,000 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
  8. Uzbekistan: $1,022 per ton (down -35.4%)
  9. Ghana: $1,555 per ton (down -62.1%)
  10. Belize: $1,667 per ton (up 25.1%)
  11. Kazakhstan: $1,993 per ton (down -18.2%)
  12. Benin: $2,000 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
  13. Zimbabwe: $2,000 per ton (down -63.6%)
  14. Malawi: $2,000 per ton (down -71.4%)
  15. Bolivia: $2,000 per ton (down -66.7%)

The greatest reductions in average unit price paid per ton for shelled cashews belong to low-cost importers in Vietnam (down -87.4% from 2021), Malawi (down -71.4%), Bolivia (down -66.7%), Zimbabwe (down -63.6%) and Ghana (down -62.1%).

The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported cashews without their shells.

  1. Antigua & Barbuda: US$39,250 per ton (down -19% from 2021)
  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%)
  6. Montserrat: $11,000 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
  7. New Caledonia: $11,000 per ton (up 33.3%)
  8. Gibraltar: $11,000 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
  9. Guyana: $10,500 per ton (up 293.7%)
  10. Somalia: $10,500 per ton (up 140%)
  11. Maldives: $10,344 per ton (down -2.6%)
  12. Ecuador: $10,154 per ton (up 11.2%)
  13. Albania: $10,000 per ton (down 0%)
  14. Aruba: $10,000 per ton (up 37.9%)
  15. Eswatini: $10,000 per ton (up 42.9%)

Strongest inflation in terms of higher average unit prices paid in 2022 compared to 2021 were experienced by importers of shelled cashews in Guyana (up 293.7%), Somalia (up 140%), Curaçao (up 84.1%), Eswatini (up 42.9%) and Aruba (up 37.9%).

See also Top Peanuts Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Almonds Exporters by Country, Top Walnut Exporters by Country, Top Pistachios Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Hazelnuts Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices and Top Brazil Nuts Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices

Research Sources:
Alibaba, Cashew Showroom. Accessed on July 28, 2023

Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on July 28, 2023

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on July 28, 2023

Wikipedia, Cashew. Accessed on July 28, 2023

Wikipedia, Cashew business in Kollam. Accessed on July 28, 2023