Cashewnut kernels are mainly used for the snack market as a roasted and salted snack. Due to the lovely taste, the cashewnut is seen as an upper class nut. The cashewnut is becoming of more and more interest to industrial users and is as such used for cookies, cereals and is also promoted as a topping on ice-cream.
The cashewnut is probably one of the most exciting nuts that grows, hanging under an apple that is being used for juice, for example. The nut itself is protected by a very strong shell, that needs to be roasted/steamed before it can be shelled. The shell contains a high percentage of liquid, which makes the shell prefect for fuelling the ovens that dry down the kernels.

Origins / growing areas
India and Vietnam are the two largest single growers of Cashewnuts, and the main suppliers of the market. The processing capacity in these two countries exceeds the crop and therefore they both import a lot of raw material from outside growing areas, like Africa. Raw nuts are then processed in India and Vietnam and exported as Indian or Vietnamese kernels.
Another major player is Brazil who’s main export market is the USA, mainly due to the short voyage time and the growing need to have just-in-time deliveries and lower stocks.
Cashewnuts are also growing in Indonesia, East Africa (Tanzania, Kenya and Mozambique) and West Africa (Benin, Guinea Bissau and Ivory Coast, Nigeria and some smaller producing countries).

Grades / Varieties
Whole grades (kernels per LBS): W180, W210, W240, W320, W450.
Broken grades (we only mention the main grades in the first colour grade) : Butts, Splits, LWP, SWP.
These grades are also graded on 1st class, 2nd class and 3rd class product and to distinguish between the various classes, the following terms are used : White (W), scorched (S) and second scorched (SS) whereas Brazil uses W1, W2 and W3 to specify the lightest from the darker color.

Harvest times / Shipment times
India/Vietnam/Indonesia : 2-3 harvests, starting in March and ending in June.
Brazil : starting in November/December and finishing in January/early February.
West Africa : February/March.
East Africa : October/November.

Packing
All cashewnuts are packed in 1x50 lbs or 2x25 lbs net per carton. The kernels are packed in vacuum pouches, gas infused.

Nutritional values (per 100 gram)
Energy 572 kcal.
2.420 kJ.
Total Fat 42,2 gr.
Total Protein 17,5 gr.
Total Carbohydrates 30,5 gr.
Total Minerals 2,9 gr.
Total Vitamins 4,15 mg