Buy Nigeria Cashew Nuts Directly From Exporters & Suppliers - Best of 2024 Market Prices

Cashew nuts have the lowest fat content compared to other nuts. Nigeria cashew nuts are used as an ingredient in cooking, making sweets, chocolates and ice cream.  Cashew wood gets used to make furniture and fishing boats. Phosphorus, protein dietary fibre and magnesium are some of the nutrients and minerals packed in these nuts. 

Cashew nuts came into West Africa in the 1400s and 1500s through explorers from Portugal. It first was planted in Agege, Lagos and from there spread to other country parts by human transfer of nuts. The established plantations were of introduced Indian cashew varieties. Despite the early introduction, extensive cultivation began in the 1950s.

Nigeria cashew nut trees are evergreen and can grow to a height of between 10 and 12m. They have thick, veined and oval leaves with blunt tips. The kidney-shaped shell is the cashew nut and it contains the edible cashew that is 2-3 cm.

Nigeria has an average 325,000ha of cultivated area in 27 states of cashew nuts. These states include Kogi, Nassarawa, Benue, Kwara, Enugi, Ebonyi, Ekit, among others. The country earns 25-35 million dollars annual export earning estimation

Nigeria was the 7th world exporter globally with 190,000 tons of production in 2016. It holds the position of the 4th largest producer in Africa. 

Vengurla-7 is the king of cashew nuts. They are expensive and larger in size in comparison to other varieties. VR-1 is the most popular kernels as well as the most available globally, whereas BPP-2 are the cheapest and smallest of all types.

Nigeria cashew nuts grow in deep and well-drained sandy loam soils and a temperature range of 15° to 40°c. they also do well in the country’s warm, humid climate and a 600mm rainfall minimum.

Nigeria’s northern latitude placement guides the harvest of the cashew in the first quarter of the year from January through April.

The cashew nut and apple once mature, fall to the ground. Harvesting in Nigeria occurs during the dry weather. Harvesting is accomplished by picking cashew apples and immediately placing them in the sun to dry until the shells are at about 8-10% rest moisture. Storage of these raw cashew nuts is in cool, dark, dry and well-ventilated conditions. The raw cashews are afterwards processed to edible cashew kernels through roasting, shelling and sun drying for about 2-3 days. The cashew nut will make a rattling sign to show that it has properly dried. After this, the nuts get peeled to reveal the kernel. This process is followed by grading the kernel based on colour and size. Quality control or fumigation gets carried out to secure the produce, and then the Nigerian nuts get packed in clean 10kg tins that then get stacked in cartons. While transporting them, the cashew nuts are protected against damage by outside pressure.

Cashew kernels, the fruit and the shell are all products of the cashew nut processing. Nigeria exports raw cashew nuts and kernels. The kernels are roasted, fried, spiced and coated and get sold as snacks while the fruit gets juiced.

Nigeria’s cashew nuts are mainly exported to Vietnam, India and China.

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