Rise in exports of roasted and salted cashew kernels in last five years

While exports of cashew kernels has declines in the last five years, roasted and salted cashew exports have grown. India exported 1941 Mt (million tonnes) of roasted and salted cashew kernels during 2013-14, at a value of Rs 752 million, whereas, in 2017-18, it exported 2872 Mt valued at Rs 1.82 billion. 

Overall exports of cashew kernels has come down from 114,791 Mt in 2013-14 to 84,352 Mt in 2017-18 owing to increasing competition and the lack of mechanisation in Indian factories.

In volume terms, exports grew 18.3 per cent from 2427 Mt in 2016-17 to 2872 Mt in 2017-18. However, the value of exports logged a 31.3 per cent growth, at Rs 1.82 billion in 2017-18, compared to Rs 1.39 billion during the previous financial year.

However, in 2017-2018, 8,325 Mt of Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (CNSL) / Cardanol, valued at Rs 326.3 million, was exported compared to 11,422 Mt, valued at Rs 440 million, in 2016-2017. The major markets for CNSL were Korea Republic, China, Spain, USA, Belgium, Taiwan and Japan.

In 2017-18, exports from China, Belgium, Taiwan, Japan, Slovenia, UK rose. However, there was a 48 per cent decrease in the exports to Korea, the major market. Exports of CNSL and Cardanol to Korea has seen a high of 8095 MT at Rs 311.2 million in 2016-17, which has come down to 4185 MT at Rs 157.9 million in 2017-18, says the annual report of Cashew Export Promotion Council of India (CEPCI).

Exports to China increased to 1014 Mt in 2017-18 compared to 223 Mt in 2016-17, registering more than threefold increase. 

"India earned Foreign Exchange of $ 916 Million equivalent to Rs 59.04 billion through export of cashew products during 2017-18 and catered the domestic market thereby collectively contributing around Rs 100 billion to our Country’s GDP,"said R K Bhoodes, chairman of CEPCI, during its annual general meeting.

In 2017- 18, India exported 84,300 Mt of cashew kernels, valued at Rs 58.71 billion, compared to 82,302 Mt exported at Rs 51.69 billion in the previous year. Export of cashew kernels recorded an increase of 2.5 per cent in quantity and an increase of 14 per cent in value realisation as compared to 2016-17.