India imports a substantial amount of cashew nuts yearly. Fast urbanization in the Asian country is causing a surge in cashew consumption. Close to half of the number of people in India have inhabited cities and towns with a majority of them living in and around the city of Mumbai.
In India, cashews have a long tradition of being consumed as snacks especially during events like weddings and religious celebrations. Lately, these nuts are being used as a food ingredient. It is common to use cashew nuts in the making of Indian dishes such as curries and biryanis. Furthermore, the sweets and confectionery industry in India are now making use of cashews frequently.
Cashew Nuts in India
At the moment, India stands as the largest consumer of cashews in the world. Owing to the fact that India ranks top in global cashew consumption, the most consumed tree nut in the country is cashew. The per capita consumption has stayed constant at 0.2kg since 2017, according to the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council (INC).
Cashew nuts in India have shed their reputation as a luxury food to that of a must-have healthy food. It is estimated that demand for cashews is growing at a rate of 7% per annum. In addition, these brown nuts have gained in popularity particularly in the northern region.
According to estimates from the India Directorate of Cashew Research, 60% of the country’s cashew consumption is indirect. This is because the food and beverage sector in India has recently tapped into the versatility of cashew as an ingredient.
Cashew Nut India
Seeing as cashew production in India is not able to meet local demand, imported cashews are available for most part of the year. In 2022, India shipped in just above 1 million tonnes of cashew nuts. It is an increase of 57% from the previous year. This data includes both raw cashew nuts (in-shell) and shelled cashews.
India imports raw cashew nuts in bulk. Over the last decade, cashew imports in India have recorded consistent growth. The highest jump in volume was recorded from 2021 to 2022 at 57%. The peak volume was in the year 2022 at 1,377,580 tonnes.
Here is the import volume of cashew nuts in India between 2013 and 2022
Importing Cashew Nuts in India
Here is a step by step guide on how to import cashews into India
Cashew Supplying Countries to India
The cashew import market in India is dominated by Ivory Coast. It has gained in market share from exporting cashews worth 200 million US Dollars to reach 350 million US Dollars. The Indian cashew market is made up of a diversity of sources.
The other key cashew supplying countries to India are:
- Ghana
- Benin
- Guinea-Bissau
- Tanzania
- Nigeria
It imports cashews in smaller volumes from countries like:
- Senegal
- Guinea
- Togo
India brings cashews from abroad through its main airport. Cashews get in the country as air freight by way of Indira Gandhi International Airport. The airport has a modern cargo terminal.
The other way cashews enter India is through its main commercial sea port. Cashews get into the country as sea freight by way of Nhava Sheva Port. The sea port has a modern container terminal.
How to Know Reliable Cashew Suppliers in India
Cashew importers in India must follow these procedures for their shipment to be released by the customs office:
- Have an import permit from the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
- Have a Phytosanitary certificate from the Agricultural Authority of the exporting country
- Bill of Lading or Airway Bill
- Commercial invoice
- Packing List
- Certificate of Origin
Here is a top cashew exporter in Kenya
Freshela Exporters
Freshela is a Kenyan based company that engages in the sourcing, processing and exporting of cashew nuts and other fresh produce.
Freshela is a proud exporter of raw cashew nuts and shelled cashews. We give competitive pricing to our customers and guarantee reliable delivery time.