Mozambique may become one of world’s largest producers of cashew nuts

Nampula, Mozambique, 25 April – Mozambican production of cashew nuts may exceed 220,000 tons by the end of the current decade, which would make the country one of the world’s largest producers according to a master plan for the cashew sub-sector presented Thursday in Nampula.

The plan, which requires investment of US$172 million, shows that Mozambique has advantages that will help it exceed that cashew nut production target, specifically the fact that it has vast tracts of land for new plantations, as well as increasing involvement of producers that make cashews the third most important crop for them.

There are around 40 million cashew trees in Mozambique and at the end of the decade a further 10 million are expected to have been planted and treated by the programme set up by the country’s Cashew Institute (Incaju).

The study, which will be submitted for approval by the Council of Ministers, recommends that in order to achieve cashew production targets, Incaju should implement research programmes to determine new varieties to be planted and improve systems to fight blight and pests.

Carvalho Neves, a consultant at Ernst and Young, has said that increased cashew consumption worldwide has led to price rises that are good for Mozambique which, because of its location, has lower exports costs to potential markets such as South Africa, China and Europe.

(Source: http://www.macauhub.com.mo/en/2011/04/25/mozambique-may-become-one-of-world%E2%80%99s-largest-producers-of-cashew-nuts/)