Brazil Cashew Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

The cashew market in Brazil is estimated to register a 3.8% CAGR during the forecast period.

Key Highlights

• Cashew is a perennial tree with origins in Brazil. Brazil is one of the major producers and exporters of cashew nuts in the world. Although cashew farms are distributed over several states, the Northeast region accounts for over 95% of the Brazilian production, with the largest orchards located in coastal and transition zones of Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, and Piauí states. Being very sensitive to the increase in price, which is directly passed on to consumers, the consumption of cashew is affected by the consumers’ purchasing power. When cashew prices are too high, consumers switch to other nuts or types of snacks.​ Most cashew kernels are consumed as roasted and salted in snacks, and as ingredients in chocolate and ice cream products.
• Brazil is amongst the largest producers of cashew gum, reaching 50 tons per year. Cashew gum is a complex heteropolysaccharide obtained from Anacardium occidentale L., a plant native to Venezuela and Brazil (North and Northeast). Cashew gum can be used in manufacture of pharmaceuticals, food stuff, cosmetics, adhesive and more recently in nano-technology.
• Consumption is actively promoted by scientific research and frequent reports on the health value of nut consumption. Considerable amounts of cashew apples are also consumed fresh or processed. Brazil produces between 300-330,000MT of raw cashew nuts (equivalent to about 2.7 million MT cashew apples) per year, because the demand for cashew in Brazil is high, thus boosting the market growth. Also Brazil is the largest exporter of cahsew nut. The export volume of cashew in 2021 was 14,912 metric ton. Brazil's production and export of cashew due to rise in demand is going to drive the cashew market during the forecast year.

Brazil Cashew Market Trends

Increasing Cashew Production owing to various Food Applications

Cashews are mostly consumed as a snack, raw, roasted, salted, or flavored, in baked goods and confectionery. Cashews are also used as an ingredient in Indian sweets, savories, and cooking. The cashew nut is native to Northeastern Brazil. It is the origin of the cashew tree. Brazil is one of the major producers of cashew globally. The cashew tree does not require extensive irrigation or water usage; it is environmentally friendly as the trees can grow in poor soils and dry climatic conditions.

Currently, Brazil produces between 300-330,000MT of raw cashew nuts (equivalent to about 2.7 million MT cashew apples) per year, owing to its high demand in Brazil, stimulated by the continuing trend toward healthier nutrition and a strong preference for sustainably-produced foods. It is fuelled by the rapidly increasing request for healthy snack products, which, in turn, will boost the Brazilian cashew market during the forecast period.

About 12 percent of Brazilian cashew apples are processed, including juice extraction (8 percent). Other usages include fresh and dried fruit, jams, wines, candies, and animal feed made out of waste products. Brazil’s cashew harvest takes place between late September and early January. As per FAO 2021, cashew nuts in shell production, accounted for 111,103MT, showing significant growth in the production of cashew in the region.

Brazil Leads in the Export of Cashews in Terms of Value

The export of cashews to other countries is stimulated by the increasing trend in local demand, owing to a focus on healthy nutrition and a strong preference for sustainably-produced foods, and fuelled by the rapidly increasing request for snack products.​ Given the strong correlation between cashew demand and prices, the price competitiveness of the Brazilian export is expected to depend on the cashew sector performance and facility of adaptation to the consumers’ requirements.​​ The export volume of cashew in 2021 was 14,912 metric ton. The United States is the biggest importer of cashew from Brazil. In 2021, other importers of cashew were Canada, Argentina, and Netherland.

The fruit is cultivated in many tropical regions where both the nuts and peduncles are extracted, processed, and sold to various countries. Cashew has various applications ranging from use as grain in animal and human diets to industrial applications of the highly-valued nut oil. The cashew originated in Brazil but is now cultivated extensively in all tropical areas. Over 14% of the domestic production is exported to all major markets, mostly as natural cashew kernels of all grades and sizes, part of which are bio-products.

Brazil Cashew Industry Overview

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