Export earnings from coconuts, brazil nuts and cashew nuts, fresh or dried, whether shelled or peeled, was valued at US$ 523.75 million in FY20 (till January 2020).
Source: Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCIS)
Last updated: May, 2022
Introduction
India is among the largest cashew producing countries in the world. The country is the largest producer and processor of cashews in the world. The cultivation of cashew in India covers a total of 0.7 million hectares of area and the country produces over 0.4 million metric tonne (MT) annually.
Some of the top cashew nut producing states in India are: Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Export Trend
India is the largest cashew exporter with more than 15% of the world’s export share. During 2021-22, the exports of the country grew by 7% to US$ 452 million from US$ 420 million from 2020-21. In March 2022, the country exported cashews worth US$ 40 million up from US$ 33.58 million in February 2022.
Export Destinations
India exports cashews to Canada, France, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, UAE, the UK and the US. UAE is the largest importer of Indian cashews with a 23% share of exports during 2020-21.
Government Initiatives
The Government of India and the cashew export promotion council have undertaken several initiatives for the ease of exports and growth of the cashew industry. As a non-financial assistance to exporters, many trade delegations, buyer-seller meets, fairs, development workshops as well as research and development data are provided. Additionally, in 2018, the Basic Customs Duty of raw cashew nut was reduced to 2.5% from the previous 5% and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on the same was reduced to 5% from 12%.
Government Body
The Cashew Export Promotion Council of India (CEPCI)
The CEPCI was established by the Government of India in 1955 with the objective to promote cashew kernels and cashew nut shell liquid in India. The council provides trade information and statistics to its members and is operating the government’s five-year plan scheme for providing financial assistance to the member exporters.