Vietnam to Set up Cashew Industry Technical Support Centre

The Vietnam Cashew Association (Vinacas) will support a not-for-profit centre dedicated to providing technical support for the cashew industry, aiming to improve access to new cashew tending and processing techniques.

 

One of main tasks of the centre is to minimise post-harvest losses for cashew farmers and processors, and help them follow cleaner cultivating and business practices as outlined in the food hygiene and safety standards issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on December 2, 2009, in addition to transferring cultivating and harvesting techniques. The cashew industry technical support centre will coordinate with Vinacotrol, Cafecontrol and farming promotion centres of Binh Phuoc and Dong Nai provinces to support the domestic cashew industries effort to meet world cashew production standards.

 

According to Vinacas, Vietnam has to date exported 150,000 tonnes of cashew nuts worth US$700 million. From now until the end of the year, this sector is expected to ship another 30,000 tonnes to the world market. Thus, the country will export 180,000 tonnes of cashew nuts valued at about US$1 billion in 2010. Vinacas predicted that global prices of cashew nuts will remain high in 2011, and estimated the domestic price of unprocessed cashew nuts at US$1,000 per tonne.