Cashew nuts unlike many other crops take 5 years to mature and yield crops which is a long time for farmers who are looking for crops to feed their families.
Cashew trees are ready to bear fruits three years after planting and start to yield fruits during the 10th year. Cashew nuts are harvested between February and May and continue to bear fruits for 20 years or more.
The harvesting of cashews is a laborious job that involves picking cashew nuts that drop to the ground and sometimes having to shake the trees to make the nuts fall.
Cashew nut trees yield at least 2 kg of cashew nuts per tree during the first 3 to 5 years. After which it starts yielding 4 kg when it’s between 6 to 10 years and 5 kg when it’s 11 to 15 years. This means, that the older the tree, the more kilograms of cashews it will yield which is normally the opposite of most agricultural products.
The cashew tree has a life span of 45 years minimum and can live longer depending on the soil conditions and climate variations as well as the care given to the tree.
Cashew Price in Malaysia
In 2022, cashew imports into Malaysia were worth approximately 22 million US Dollars. Although this was a slight decrease from the previous year, it was another high-value record.
The sharpest climb was from 2020 to 2021 when the import value rose from about 17 million US Dollars to over 25 million US Dollars.
Here are the total values in import of cashews in Malaysia between 2013 and 2022.
Cashew Nut Price per kg in Malaysia
The price of one kilogram of raw cashew nuts in Malaysia costs between MYR 18.55 and MYR 37.38 on the retail market which is equivalent to $ 4.09 to $ 8.24. The wholesale price is between $ 2.86 to $ 5.77.
Price fluctuations in the Malaysian cashew market are majorly affected by the level of supply and demand in the market. Changes in the supply volume especially by the producing countries determine the price trends in the market.
With the consumption trends of cashew nuts going up the charts every single day, an undersupply of cashew nuts in the market can cause a surge in cashew prices in the market.
On the other hand, an excess of cashew supply in the market leads to a decrease in prices to compete and sell.
Cashews Malaysia
Malaysia imports different types of cashew nuts including cashew kernels, whole cashews, and cashew products such as cashew shells. Cashew kernels account for 80% of imported cashews.
Malaysia imports different grades of cashews to cater to the different needs and preferences of consumers in the market. The W-180 grade of cashew is the king of cashews and the most imported and bought cashews in the market.
The W-120 is also known as Jumbo nuts and it is medium size with a mild nutty flavor. The W-320 is the most common in cashew kernels and the most available in the market. It has an affordable price and is mostly used in stews, chocolate bars, butter, sweets, and soups.
Cashew Nuts Malaysia
The Cashew business is profitable and most farmers and traders earn a life from it while growing the economy and revenue of the country.
According to research, people who eat at least 3 to 5 cashews a day experience a reduction of bad cholesterol and prevent heart diseases because they are rich in magnesium.
Cashew nuts are also a good source of proteins, minerals, and vitamins that are very essential to a healthy body, heart, and well-being.
The rising trends in healthy eating and nutritional value have increased the demand for cashew nuts all over the world and the cashew market continues to benefit from the rising demand.