The cashew kernel market size was valued at USD 7.10 billion in 2025 and estimated to grow from USD 7.39 billion in 2026 to reach USD 9.03 billion by 2031, at a CAGR of 4.09% during the forecast period (2026-2031). This report is Segmented by Grade (White Wholes, and More), and by Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and More). The Study Includes Production Analysis (Volume), Consumption Analysis (Value and Volume), Export Analysis (Value and Volume), Import Analysis (Value and Volume), Wholesale Price Trend Analysis, and More. The Market Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Value (USD) and Volume (Metric Tons).
Scorched pieces are forecasted to deliver the fastest 5.0% CAGR through 2031, as ingredient buyers in the bakery, confectionery, and vegan dairy sectors seek functional value over visual appeal. This segment benefits from processors’ efforts to monetize second-quality kernels produced during mechanized peeling, improving total plant yield. The cashew kernel market size for scorched pieces is projected to align with rising usage in granola, energy bars, and cheese spreads. Manufacturers prefer the caramelized flavor profile and lower price point, positioning scorched pieces as a cost-effective route to introduce cashew-based proteins. Continued growth will depend on maintaining traceability and effective allergen management to meet the stringent food safety frameworks of the European Union and the United States within the cashew kernel industry.
Africa is projected to post a 4.9% CAGR to 2031, the fastest among regions, as Côte d’Ivoire scales processing to 30% of its 1.2 million metric tons harvest by 2030 and Tanzania targets 350,000 metric tons of production. Robust International’s USD 27 million plant in Côte d’Ivoire and Valency International’s USD 40 million unit established in 2025 exemplify mechanization investments that shorten supply chains to Europe. Nigeria, Benin, and Ghana add complementary volumes through smaller plants receiving technical support from TechnoServe’s Prosper Cashew project. As infrastructure improves, the cashew kernel market size for African origins is projected to increase, potentially challenging Vietnam’s current export share.
North America and Europe continue to serve as major consumption hubs, relying heavily on imports for their needs. In 2023, the United States imported 143,686 metric tons of cashews, valued at USD 843.7 million, with 88% of the supply originating from Vietnam. To reduce logistics risks, buyers are diversifying their supplier base by awarding certified organic or Fairtrade contracts to processors in Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso. These contracts often include price premiums that compensate for higher unit costs. Additionally, the diversification strategy aims to enhance supply chain resilience, ensure a steady supply of high-quality products, and support ethical sourcing practices. These markets are projected to further develop food safety and sustainability standards, influencing the broader cashew kernel market and setting benchmarks for global trade practices.
Global Cashew Kernel Market Trends and Insights
Rising Global Demand for Plant-Based Proteins
Plant-based product developers in North America and Europe are utilizing cashew proteins in bars, beverages, and ready meals due to their nutritional profile, offering 18 grams of protein per 100 grams, and their creamy texture, which performs well in comparison to soy and almond bases. In 2023, Vietnam accounted for 88% of the United States' cashew imports, highlighting its significant role in supporting the vegan marketAdditionally, India’s decision to reduce the goods and services tax on value-added cashew products to 5% in October 2025 is projected to expand the domestic consumer base by at least 10%. Meanwhile, Brazil, with an annual production of 147,000 metric tons, has achieved self-sufficiency and is converting surplus kernels into protein isolates for export. These developments collectively drive growth in the cashew kernel market by increasing demand for high-protein, allergen-friendly ingredients.Growth in Healthy Snack Consumption
Consumers gravitate toward single-serve, minimally processed nuts that cater to active lifestyles, driving online and community group-buying sales channels in China to a combined 70% share of the nut retail market. In Europe, 90% of imported kernels are sold directly in snack formats, with Côte d’Ivoire’s share of European imports rising from 1.2% in 2018 to 8% in 2022, driven by this trend. The increasing demand for snackable nuts in Europe highlights the region's focus on ready-to-eat products. India's domestic consumption of global production is increasing, leading to reduced exports and enhancing the impact of the snacking channel on supply. This significant domestic demand underscores the importance of the Indian market in shaping global supply dynamics. As a result, healthy snacking remains a key driver of volume growth in the cashew kernel market, supported by evolving consumer preferences and market trends.Volatility in Raw-Cashew-Nut (RCN) Prices
Vietnam's raw cashew nut prices increased from USD 1,200-1,300 per metric ton in early 2024 to USD 1,900-2,000 by September 2024, while kernel prices reached USD 6,560 per metric ton. This significant rise in prices reflects the growing demand and supply constraints in the market. In India, prices surged by 80-100% in 2024, ranging from USD 7.2 to 10.8 (INR 600-900), further highlighting the global impact of supply chain disruptions. A temporary export ban in Côte d’Ivoire in 2024, combined with crop losses caused by El Niño, resulted in a 7% reduction in global production. These fluctuations have strained working capital and discouraged the use of forward contracts, reducing market visibility for cashew kernel processors. The combination of these factors has created challenges for stakeholders across the supply chain, emphasizing the need for strategic planning and risk management in the cashew market.Other drivers and restraints analyzed in the detailed report include:
- Expansion of Cashew-Based Dairy Alternatives
- Automation of Peeling and Grading Lines
- Competition from Almonds and Pistachios
Segment Analysis
White wholes accounted for 61.8% of the cashew kernel market share in 2025, commanding premiums in gift packs and ready-to-eat retail channels. Vietnamese processors maximize White wholes output through optical grading, which keeps defect rates within the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe threshold of 8%, while Côte d’Ivoire invests in automation to match this benchmark. The cashew kernel market size for white wholes is projected to expand modestly, yet their high unit value sustains processor profitability. Retailers highlight whole-kernel aesthetics and consistent sizing, encouraging contract farming models that supply uniform raw nuts. Although almonds pressure shelf space, white wholes remain a cornerstone for festive gifting in India and China.Scorched pieces are forecasted to deliver the fastest 5.0% CAGR through 2031, as ingredient buyers in the bakery, confectionery, and vegan dairy sectors seek functional value over visual appeal. This segment benefits from processors’ efforts to monetize second-quality kernels produced during mechanized peeling, improving total plant yield. The cashew kernel market size for scorched pieces is projected to align with rising usage in granola, energy bars, and cheese spreads. Manufacturers prefer the caramelized flavor profile and lower price point, positioning scorched pieces as a cost-effective route to introduce cashew-based proteins. Continued growth will depend on maintaining traceability and effective allergen management to meet the stringent food safety frameworks of the European Union and the United States within the cashew kernel industry.
Complete Report Scope:
- By Grade
- White Wholes
- Scorched Wholes
- Dessert Wholes
- White Pieces
- Scorched Pieces
- Dessert Pieces
- By Geography
- North America
- United States
- Production Analysis (Area Harvested, Yield, and Production Volume)
- Consumption Analysis (Consumption Value and Volume)
- Import Market Analysis (Import Value, Volume, and Key Supplying Markets)
- Export Market Analysis (Export Value, Volume, and Key Destination Markets)
- Wholesale Price Trend Analysis and Forecast
- Regulatory Framework
- List of Key Players
- Logistics and Infrastructure
- Seasonality Analysis
- Mexico
- Production Analysis (Area Harvested, Yield, and Production Volume)
- Consumption Analysis (Consumption Value and Volume)
- Import Market Analysis (Import Value, Volume, and Key Supplying Markets)
- Export Market Analysis (Export Value, Volume, and Key Destination Markets)
- Wholesale Price Trend Analysis and Forecast
- Regulatory Framework
- List of Key Players
- Logistics and Infrastructure
- Seasonality Analysis
- Canada
- Production Analysis (Area Harvested, Yield, and Production Volume)
- Consumption Analysis (Consumption Value and Volume)
- Import Market Analysis (Import Value, Volume, and Key Supplying Markets)
- Export Market Analysis (Export Value, Volume, and Key Destination Markets)
- Wholesale Price Trend Analysis and Forecast
- Regulatory Framework
- List of Key Players
- Logistics and Infrastructure
- Seasonality Analysis
- United States
- Europe
- Germany
- Production Analysis (Area Harvested, Yield, and Production Volume)
- Consumption Analysis (Consumption Value and Volume)
- Import Market Analysis (Import Value, Volume, and Key Supplying Markets)
- Export Market Analysis (Export Value, Volume, and Key Destination Markets)
- Wholesale Price Trend Analysis and Forecast
- Regulatory Framework
- List of Key Players
- Logistics and Infrastructure
- Seasonality Analysis
- United Kingdom
- Production Analysis (Area Harvested, Yield, and Production Volume)
- Consumption Analysis (Consumption Value and Volume)
- Import Market Analysis (Import Value, Volume, and Key Supplying Markets)
- Export Market Analysis (Export Value, Volume, and Key Destination Markets)
- Wholesale Price Trend Analysis and Forecast
- Regulatory Framework
- List of Key Players
- Logistics and Infrastructure
- Seasonality Analysis
- France
- Production Analysis (Area Harvested, Yield, and Production Volume)
- Consumption Analysis (Consumption Value and Volume)
- Import Market Analysis (Import Value, Volume, and Key Supplying Markets)
- Export Market Analysis (Export Value, Volume, and Key Destination Markets)
- Wholesale Price Trend Analysis and Forecast
- Regulatory Framework
- List of Key Players
- Logistics and Infrastructure
- Seasonality Analysis
- Germany
- Asia-Pacific
- China
- Production Analysis (Area Harvested, Yield, and Production Volume)
- Consumption Analysis (Consumption Value and Volume)
- Import Market Analysis (Import Value, Volume, and Key Supplying Markets)
- Export Market Analysis (Export Value, Volume, and Key Destination Markets)
- Wholesale Price Trend Analysis and Forecast
- Regulatory Framework
- List of Key Players
- Logistics and Infrastructure
- Seasonality Analysis
- India
- Production Analysis (Area Harvested, Yield, and Production Volume)
- Consumption Analysis (Consumption Value and Volume)
- Import Market Analysis (Import Value, Volume, and Key Supplying Markets)
- Export Market Analysis (Export Value, Volume, and Key Destination Markets)
- Wholesale Price Trend Analysis and Forecast
- Regulatory Framework
- List of Key Players
- Logistics and Infrastructure
- Seasonality Analysis
- Vietnam
- Production Analysis (Area Harvested, Yield, and Production Volume)
- Consumption Analysis (Consumption Value and Volume)
- Import Market Analysis (Import Value, Volume, and Key Supplying Markets)
- Export Market Analysis (Export Value, Volume, and Key Destination Markets)
- Wholesale Price Trend Analysis and Forecast
- Regulatory Framework
- List of Key Players
- Logistics and Infrastructure
- Seasonality Analysis
- Australia
- Production Analysis (Area Harvested, Yield, and Production Volume)
- Consumption Analysis (Consumption Value and Volume)
- Import Market Analysis (Import Value, Volume, and Key Supplying Markets)
- Export Market Analysis (Export Value, Volume, and Key Destination Markets)
- Wholesale Price Trend Analysis and Forecast
- Regulatory Framework
- List of Key Players
- Logistics and Infrastructure
- Seasonality Analysis
- Indonesia
- Production Analysis (Area Harvested, Yield, and Production Volume)
- Consumption Analysis (Consumption Value and Volume)
- Import Market Analysis (Import Value, Volume, and Key Supplying Markets)
- Export Market Analysis (Export Value, Volume, and Key Destination Markets)
- Wholesale Price Trend Analysis and Forecast
- Regulatory Framework
- List of Key Players
- Logistics and Infrastructure
- Seasonality Analysis
- Philippines
- Production Analysis (Area Harvested, Yield, and Production Volume)
- Consumption Analysis (Consumption Value and Volume)
- Import Market Analysis (Import Value, Volume, and Key Supplying Markets)
- Export Market Analysis (Export Value, Volume, and Key Destination Markets)
- Wholesale Price Trend Analysis and Forecast
- Regulatory Framework
- List of Key Players
- Logistics and Infrastructure
- Seasonality Analysis
- China
- South America
- Brazil
- Production Analysis (Area Harvested, Yield, and Production Volume)
- Consumption Analysis (Consumption Value and Volume)
- Import Market Analysis (Import Value, Volume, and Key Supplying Markets)
- Export Market Analysis (Export Value, Volume, and Key Destination Markets)
- Wholesale Price Trend Analysis and Forecast
- Regulatory Framework
- List of Key Players
- Logistics and Infrastructure
- Seasonality Analysis
- Argentina
- Production Analysis (Area Harvested, Yield, and Production Volume)
- Consumption Analysis (Consumption Value and Volume)
- Import Market Analysis (Import Value, Volume, and Key Supplying Markets)
- Export Market Analysis (Export Value, Volume, and Key Destination Markets)
- Wholesale Price Trend Analysis and Forecast
- Regulatory Framework
- List of Key Players
- Logistics and Infrastructure
- Seasonality Analysis
- Brazil
- Middle East
- United Arab Emirates
- Production Analysis (Area Harvested, Yield, and Production Volume)
- Consumption Analysis (Consumption Value and Volume)
- Import Market Analysis (Import Value, Volume, and Key Supplying Markets)
- Export Market Analysis (Export Value, Volume, and Key Destination Markets)
- Wholesale Price Trend Analysis and Forecast
- Regulatory Framework
- List of Key Players
- Logistics and Infrastructure
- Seasonality Analysis
- United Arab Emirates
- Africa
- Nigeria
- Production Analysis (Area Harvested, Yield, and Production Volume)
- Consumption Analysis (Consumption Value and Volume)
- Import Market Analysis (Import Value, Volume, and Key Supplying Markets)
- Export Market Analysis (Export Value, Volume, and Key Destination Markets)
- Wholesale Price Trend Analysis and Forecast
- Regulatory Framework
- List of Key Players
- Logistics and Infrastructure
- Seasonality Analysis
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Production Analysis (Area Harvested, Yield, and Production Volume)
- Consumption Analysis (Consumption Value and Volume)
- Import Market Analysis (Import Value, Volume, and Key Supplying Markets)
- Export Market Analysis (Export Value, Volume, and Key Destination Markets)
- Wholesale Price Trend Analysis and Forecast
- Regulatory Framework
- List of Key Players
- Logistics and Infrastructure
- Seasonality Analysis
- Benin
- Production Analysis (Area Harvested, Yield, and Production Volume)
- Consumption Analysis (Consumption Value and Volume)
- Import Market Analysis (Import Value, Volume, and Key Supplying Markets)
- Export Market Analysis (Export Value, Volume, and Key Destination Markets)
- Wholesale Price Trend Analysis and Forecast
- Regulatory Framework
- List of Key Players
- Logistics and Infrastructure
- Seasonality Analysis
- Tanzania
- Production Analysis (Area Harvested, Yield, and Production Volume)
- Consumption Analysis (Consumption Value and Volume)
- Import Market Analysis (Import Value, Volume, and Key Supplying Markets)
- Export Market Analysis (Export Value, Volume, and Key Destination Markets)
- Wholesale Price Trend Analysis and Forecast
- Regulatory Framework
- List of Key Players
- Logistics and Infrastructure
- Seasonality Analysis
- Ghana
- Production Analysis (Area Harvested, Yield, and Production Volume)
- Consumption Analysis (Consumption Value and Volume)
- Import Market Analysis (Import Value, Volume, and Key Supplying Markets)
- Export Market Analysis (Export Value, Volume, and Key Destination Markets)
- Wholesale Price Trend Analysis and Forecast
- Regulatory Framework
- List of Key Players
- Logistics and Infrastructure
- Seasonality Analysis
- Burkina Faso
- Production Analysis (Area Harvested, Yield, and Production Volume)
- Consumption Analysis (Consumption Value and Volume)
- Import Market Analysis (Import Value, Volume, and Key Supplying Markets)
- Export Market Analysis (Export Value, Volume, and Key Destination Markets)
- Wholesale Price Trend Analysis and Forecast
- Regulatory Framework
- List of Key Players
- Logistics and Infrastructure
- Seasonality Analysis
- Nigeria
- North America
Geography Analysis
The Asia-Pacific region held a 46.2% share of the cashew kernel market in 2025, driven by Vietnam’s exports and India’s processing capacity. Vietnam imports 90% of its raw nuts from East Africa, yet sustains the lowest defect rates through advanced grading, ensuring its dominance of over 80% of global kernel exports. India’s goods and services tax reduction to 5% on finished kernels stimulates domestic snack growth, absorbing 40% of global production and constraining export availability. China imported 54,699 metric tons, valued at USD 256.0 million, in 2023, redirecting flows toward Association of Southeast Asian Nations suppliers due to 42% tariffs on United States cashews, a pivot that underpins regional demand for the cashew kernel market.Africa is projected to post a 4.9% CAGR to 2031, the fastest among regions, as Côte d’Ivoire scales processing to 30% of its 1.2 million metric tons harvest by 2030 and Tanzania targets 350,000 metric tons of production. Robust International’s USD 27 million plant in Côte d’Ivoire and Valency International’s USD 40 million unit established in 2025 exemplify mechanization investments that shorten supply chains to Europe. Nigeria, Benin, and Ghana add complementary volumes through smaller plants receiving technical support from TechnoServe’s Prosper Cashew project. As infrastructure improves, the cashew kernel market size for African origins is projected to increase, potentially challenging Vietnam’s current export share.
North America and Europe continue to serve as major consumption hubs, relying heavily on imports for their needs. In 2023, the United States imported 143,686 metric tons of cashews, valued at USD 843.7 million, with 88% of the supply originating from Vietnam. To reduce logistics risks, buyers are diversifying their supplier base by awarding certified organic or Fairtrade contracts to processors in Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso. These contracts often include price premiums that compensate for higher unit costs. Additionally, the diversification strategy aims to enhance supply chain resilience, ensure a steady supply of high-quality products, and support ethical sourcing practices. These markets are projected to further develop food safety and sustainability standards, influencing the broader cashew kernel market and setting benchmarks for global trade practices.
List of Companies Covered in this Report:
- Market Overview
- Market Drivers
- Market Restraints
- Opportunities
- Challenges
- Value Chain Analysis
- Technologies and usage of AI in the Industry
- Input Market Analysis
- Distribution Channel Analysis
- Market Sentiment Analysis
- PESTLE Analysis
- Overview of the Competition
- Recent Developments
- Market Concentration Analysis
Additional Benefits:
- The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
- 3 months of analyst support
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
4 Market Landscape
5 Market Size and Growth Forecasts (Value and Volume)
6 End Use Applications and Industries
7 Competitive Landscape
