APEDA Chairman Abhishek Dev Announces Facilitation of 30+ Tonnes of Cashew Exports from Tamil Nadu and Kerala on World Cashew Day
India, recognizing the missed opportunity it faced in 2002 when Vietnam modernized its cashew processing units to international standards, has set its sights on regaining its top position in global cashew trade. The country’s agri-export promotion body, APEDA, was recently entrusted with this mission and has developed a comprehensive action plan to achieve this goal by expanding cultivation areas and fostering global market connections.
Abhishek Dev, Chairman of APEDA, commented, “Only two months ago, the Kerala High Court lifted the stay, allowing us to commence work on cashew.” The stay had been placed on the 2020 government order that transferred cashew export promotion activities from the Kerala-based Cashew Export Promotion Council (CEPC) to APEDA.
Dev also disclosed that APEDA is facilitating the export of over 30 tonnes of cashew nuts from Tamil Nadu and Kerala to Qatar, Malaysia, and the United States on November 23, coinciding with World Cashew Day. Additionally, 2 tonnes from Odisha will be shipped to Bangladesh next month via road transport.
He emphasized that India holds a promising future in cashew exports once the modernization of processing units begins, particularly with the emergence of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) in recent years, which can help scale up production.
According to sources, CEPC, being composed of exporters, may not have fully aligned its actions with the best interests of existing exporters, potentially hindering India’s cashew industry. States like Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Gujarat are seen as having significant potential in cashew exports, and APEDA officials believe that involving more companies in the value addition segment of cashew nuts can be a game-changer.
In 2002, Vietnam’s cashew industry benefited from mechanization in processing units, resulting in reduced production costs and higher-quality nuts. While Indian processed kernels are considered superior in quality and taste, Vietnamese kernels have gained popularity due to their lower prices, necessitating efforts to enhance India’s export competitiveness.
Official data reveals that cashew kernel exports from India fell to $332.87 million (or Rs 2,677.61 crore) in 2022-23 from $873.16 million (Rs 5,627.81 crore) in 2017-18. The UAE emerged as the top destination for India’s cashew kernels (whole) at nearly $126 million, followed by the Netherlands at $36.40 million in 2022-23. Japan also imported cashew kernels worth $35.23 million from India last year.
Meanwhile, Vietnam’s cashew exports surged to $2.95 billion during January-October of 2023, marking a 15.9% increase from the previous year. The government has set a target of $3.1 billion for the calendar year 2023, aiming to surpass its actual export figure of $3.07 billion.