Cashew Nuts Exporters and Suppliers in Mozambique

At the moment, cashew nut production in Mozambique is still going strong. It is dominant in the central and northern regions of the country. Cabo Delgado, Nampula and Zambezia provinces account for about 63% of the country’s cashew output.

A report called CGAP Smallholder Household Survey 2015 estimates that 1 million households in Mozambique own cashew trees. 95% of all cashew produced in the country is from rural smallholder farmers who own less than two hectares. Whereas, just a few medium-scale cashew farmers own between two and five hectares.

Cashew was introduced in Mozambique by the Portuguese in the 19^th century. It was first grown along the coast before some of the production moved inland. It was first exported at the beginning of the 20^th century. In fact, cashew production in Mozambique peaked in 1973 when it stood at 240,000 tonnes.

The first cashew processing plant in Africa was established in 1960 in Mozambique. Even though domestic processing has gone down over the years, the country is positioning itself to reclaim its former glory. Since the government of Mozambique liberalized the cashew sector in the 1990s, expansion is expected in the coming years.

Mozambique Cashew

New small processing units began operations in the rural areas between 1999 and 2001. Additionally, there was increased distribution of seedlings to get more smallholder farmers to grow cashew. The government also started providing technical assistance to these farmers.

14 medium and large-scale processing units came into operation between 2012 and 2016. These factories were able to process about half of the available production then. The government continues to support small-scale farmers in managing their cashew trees and distributing seedlings at a subsidized price.

Mozambique Cashew Nuts

Mozambique is among the countries that exports huge numbers of cashew in the world. In 2022, Mozambique shipped out close to 65,000 tonnes of cashew nuts. It is an increase of 74% from the previous year.

Over the past decade, cashew exports from Mozambique have enjoyed steady growth. The highest jump in volume was recorded from 2016 to 2017 at over 180%. The peak volume was in the year 2017 at 89,710 tonnes.

Here is the export volume of cashew nuts from Mozambique between 2013 and 2022

Cashew Nuts in Mozambique

The major destinations for Mozambique cashew nuts include:

India
Vietnam
Germany
The United States (US)
Portugal

The other destinations are:

The Netherlands
Canada
Sweden

Mozambique takes cashew nuts abroad through its main sea port. Cashew nuts leave the country as sea freight by way of Port of Maputo. This sea port has a modern container terminal.

The other exit point in Mozambique is its main airport. Cashew nuts leave the country as air freight by way of Maputo International Airport. This airport has a huge cargo terminal. Yet, this is only for processed cashew nuts.

Mozambique Cashew Nuts Suppliers

The government of Mozambique regulates the export of cashew nuts primarily through the Nuts Institute of Mozambique. This body ensures that Mozambican cashews sold in international markets are of superior quality. While the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development controls the production of cashew nuts, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce controls its marketing.

Cashew nuts exporters in Mozambique must meet the following requirements:

They must be registered by the Nuts Institute of Mozambique
They must have an export license from the Ministry of Commerce
Have a phytosanitary certificate from the Ministry of Agriculture
Have a proforma invoice
Have a commercial invoice
Have a packing list
Have a Certificate of Origin from the Chamber of Commerce of Mozambique
Have a Bill of Lading (shipping agency) or Air Way Bill (airline)