Only a fraction of cashew production is processed in Africa while much of it is produced on the continent. A new report from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) reveals africa's missed opportunities due to weak transformation.

The report, "Commodities at a Glance: A Special Issue on Cashew Nuts," zooms in on countries that grow cashew nuts but don't process them on a significant scale. These retain only a small part of the value created when the nut moves from the farm to the store.
According to Miho Shirotori, who leads UNCTAD's work on trade negotiations and diplomacy, "African farmers, exporters and workers are missing out on a multitude of opportunities."
Cashew nuts grow in the tropical climates of 20 countries in West and East Africa that produce about 90% of the raw cashew nuts marketed on the world market. After Côte d'Ivoire, the main producers are Tanzania, Nigeria, Benin, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique and Ghana.
But less than 15% of the continent's nuts are shelled on African soil. The rest is exported mainly to Asia, where 85% of the world's cashew nuts are shelled, adding value to the product. Two Asian countries alone – India and Vietnam – accounted for about 98% of global raw cashew imports between 2014 and 2018. More value is added in Europe and North America, where 60% of the nuts marketed are roasted, salted, packaged and consumed as an accompaniment to appetizers or incorporated into a drink, nutrition bar or other product.
"Since production typically takes place on small farms in rural areas, there is a direct link between value added in the cashew sector and poverty reduction," the report's authors write, noting that cashew nuts are a source of income for about 3 million smallholder farmers in Africa. The report highlights the potential of cashew nuts to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, in particular the one aimed at reducing poverty.