The 8 Countries That Harvest the Most Cashews

We all know that cashews are good for you. They have a lot of properties like fiber, protein, several types of vitamins and minerals, as well as healthy fats. These nuts are also quite delicious. There are various types of nuts like almonds and pistachios, which are also good for you. When it comes to cashews, they are native to South America and they usually grow in more tropical environments. Although they grow in certain countries, they are popular all over the world. But the question remains, where do cashews grow?

8. Brazil

Brazil produces around 147,137 tons of cashews per year. Furthermore, Brazil’s tropical climate makes it perfect for cashew trees to grow. There are about 170,000 cashew producers in the country. Around 70% of those are small farmers, which means they rely on the sales and exports of cashews. The main region where cashews are grown is in the northeastern part of Brazil. Cashew harvesting season in Brazil goes from late September to early January.

7. Indonesia

Indonesia produced 163,083 tons of cashews in 2022. The country exports about 42% of cashews and the rest are used domestically. Nearly 100% of cashew trees are grown by small business farmers, which means they depend on the exports and sales of cashews. Vietnam, India, and the US are the main countries that buy cashews from Indonesia.

6. Benin

The West African country of Benin produces about 215,000 tons of cashews per year. Over the past few years, Benin’s production of cashews has increased drastically. It has become an important crop in Benin’s economy. Most of the cashew trees are grown by small business farmers, which means that they rely on cashew exports and sales to make a living.  Benin’s government, however, has issued a decree to ban the exports of unprocessed nuts to ensure Benin uses the cashew to its fullest potential.

5. Tanzania

Tanzania produces 216,907 tons of cashews in 2022. The second-largest producer of cashews in Africa, Tanzania has a long history with the nut. Portuguese explorers brought the cashew nut to Tanzania in the 16th century and since then the country has produced the cashew nut. primarily, cashew trees are grown in the southern regions of the country.

4. Philippines

The Philippines produces about 217,583 tons of cashews per year. The cashew is one of the most important nut crops in the country because of its popularity worldwide. The region where most of the cashews are grown is Palawan. The province is considered the cashew capital of The Philippines. Like other countries in the region, cashew harvesting goes from February to May.

3. Vietnam

Vietnam produced 341,680 tons of cashews in 2022. The country has become one of the leading producers of cashews in the past few years. It recently became a billion-dollar industry in Vietnam, which is fantastic for the farmers who grow cashew trees. Vietnam has dedicated about 740,000 acres of land to cashew growing, which started in the 19th century in the nation. 

2. India

India produces 752,000 tons of cashews per year. The second largest producer of cashews is India and they have been producing these fantastic nuts for centuries. India accounts for about 15% of the global production of this delicious nut. The main regions that harvest the most cashews in India are Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Tamil Na. When it comes to exporting, India usually exports their cashews to various countries including the Netherlands, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, among others.

1. Côte d’Ivoire

Côte d’Ivoire produces 970,000 tons of cashews per year. The African country is also the largest producer of cocoa in the world. The history of cashew production in Côte d’Ivoire started in 1959. Many of the country’s northern parts began to grow cashew trees and then harvest cashews. Today, there are about 450,000 growers in the country. In recent years, the demand for cashews has decreased and has worried cashew farmers in Côte d’Ivoire, as they have asked the government for support in these difficult times.