African Cashew Alliance Managing Director Christian Dahm says whereas Kenya has a reliable cashew nut processing capacity, the production of raw cashew is still low compared to other African Countries.
More than 200,000 tons of raw cashew nuts are grown in Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique providing a source of livelihood to more than 500,000 small scale farmers in the region.
Production of raw Cashew nut has particularly been low in Kenya compared to the numerous processing plants available countrywide.
African Cashew Alliance signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Kenyan Nut Processors Association and other representatives from neighboring countries.
The MOU seeks to improve the regulatory and business environment for cashew nut production in the region, facilitate regional trade and increase yield and quality of the crop among other things.
The Alliance will be holding the 7th annual cashew nut conference in Benin in September that will among other things address the challenges faced in the cashew nut industry in all African countries.
This will also ensure that farmers are able to maximize returns from the cashew crop through local processing as opposed to exporting it in its raw form.
World demand for cashew kernels keeps growing and African raw cashew production is rising to meet this growth. Kenya also hopes to capitalize on this demand.
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