Vietnam relies heavily on cashew imports to meet domestic demand. It experiences subtropical climate in the north and a tropical climate in the center and south which supports production of cashew nuts. Yet, it does not turn out enough cashews for the locals.
Quite a large number of cashews sold in Vietnam is found in supermarkets. The biggest number of consumers in the country is found in the cities of Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi and Da Nang. Smaller retail outlets, wholesale markets and specialty food stores around Vietnam trade in smaller quantities of cashews.
Cashew Nuts Price in Vietnam
Imports of cashews in Vietnam were worth about 2 billion US Dollars in 2022. Even though it is a slight drop from the previous year, it is another record high value. The sharpest climb was from 2020 to 2021 when the import value rose from about 2 billion US Dollars to around 4 billion US Dollars.
Here are the total values in import of cashews in Vietnam between 2013 and 2022.
Vietnam Cashew Price per kg
The cost of a kilo of cashews in Vietnam can be between 25,000 Vietnamese Dong (U1.02 dollars) and 35,000 Vietnamese Dong (US1.43 dollars). This is based on the average import price per kg. This wholesale price has gone as high as 48,000 Vietnamese Dong (US2 dollars) in the recent past.
Retail prices of shelled cashews vary from seller to seller. Vietnamese can buy imported cashews for most part of the year because they are sourced from several nations. Market timing also determines the price range as late season cashews get a premium over early season cashews.
Whole cashew kernels are more valuable than broken pieces. While those that are white or pale ivory in color are preferred to than coloured or burnt ones. Plain or salted cashews make up the majority of processed cashews.
Cashew in Vietnam
Vietnam brings in more in-shell cashews than shelled cashews. A huge amount comes from cashew producing countries in Africa. Bearing in mind that the Vietnamese have created advanced cashew processing technology, Vietnam is a leader in that sub-sector.
Cashew imports have to first go through the General Department of Vietnam Customs (GDVC). They are then tested using certain food safety protocols set by the Vietnam Food Administration (VFA). The government of Vietnam sets the requirements for importers of food products like cashews through the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Cans or polythene bags of cashews must be labeled according to guidelines determined by SFDA. Bilingual language, which includes Vietnamese, is required on the label. Stick-on labels with country of origin are widely used on imported cashews.
Labels must include the following information:
- Name of product and its product category
- Name and address of producer and importer
- Brand or trademark
- Country of origin
- Type of cashew and grade
- Storage instructions and temperature requirements
- Net weight in grams or kilograms and number of cashews per can or polythene bag
- Nutritional information
- Shelf life
- Date of packing
Cashew Nuts Vietnam
Many Vietnamese like eating cashew kernels. Getting to the edible part of a cashew nut is quite a process. Besides a hard outer shell and another thin skin, a kernel is covered by cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL). CNSL is a dark brown liquid that causes skin irritation.
The five steps involved in extracting a cashew kernel are:
- Shelling: removal of the outer shell and CNSL
- Peeling: removal of the testa
- Grading: into different sizes and colours according to standard grading
- Drying or humidifying: to a final moisture content of 5%
- Packing: into airtight bags depending on the scale of the operation