Illustrative image (Source: VNA) The GeneralStatistics Office reported that the total cashew nut exports hit 18,000 tonnesin January 2017 with total value of 164,000 USD, down 27.8 percent in volumeand 12.6 percent in value year-on-year.
Vietnamexported a record 347,000 tonnes of cashew nuts last year, earning 2.84 billionUSD, up 5.6 percent in volume and 18.4 percent in value annually. However, domesticprocessors had to import more than 1.1 million tonnes of material cashew forprocessing. The dependence on imported materials poses difficulties for thesector in ensuring product quality and food safety.
Accordingto Bach Khanh Nhut, deputy director of Vinacontrol, the quality of raw cashewimported from Africa in 2016 degraded remarkable from the previous year,inflicting heavy losses on local processors.
SecretaryGeneral of the Vietnam Cashew Association Dang Hoang Giang urged processors toinvest in drying facilities and equipment to improve the quality of products.
Meanwhile,it is forecast that 2017 will see the ENSO phenomenon (a combination of El Ninoand La Nina) and shorter dry season, which will cause an alarming decease incashew output this year.
Therefore,to meet the target of 3 billion USD from cashew nut exports this year, up 160million USD from 2016, processors would have to increase the volume of importedraw cashews to 1.3 million tonnes.
Chairman ofthe Vietnam Cashew Association Nguyen Duc Thanh advised the sector, especially cashewtrading firms, to instruct farmers on intensive cashew farming to enhanceoutput and quality while linking up with the State, scientists, businesspartners and farmers to develop sustainable material growing zones, as well asstrengthening ties with international nut associations.
The US isthe largest importer of Vietnamese processed cashew nuts, accounting for 35percent of the total. Europe makes up 25 percent, followed by China with 18percent. -VNA
VNA
