For a long time, cashews have been known as a nutritious nut that is loved by many people around the world. Cashews are known as a snack and are a healthy food, versatile, and unique compared to other nuts, full of nutrients necessary for a good health. Besides the great uses as well as the value cashew nuts bring, not everyone knows its origin. So where do cashews come from? We invite you to follow the useful information below
Are cashew nuts?
There is a fact that not everyone knows about cashew fruit, this is a dry, non-self-opening fruit, kidney-shaped, about 2 to 3 cm long, hard outer shell, sunken face. The fruit stem is enlarged, pear- or peach-like in shape, red or yellow. Because of that, we often assume that the bulging stem is the fruit, and the “cashew nut” is the seed. Therefore, many people often mistake cashews for gymnosperms, but cashew nuts are exactly angiosperms. Kidney shaped seeds, rich in fatty oils.
Though you might think of it as just another nut in the trail mix, the cashew is a decidedly strange snack. Sprouting like a tail from the bottom of an oddly-shaped fruit, called the cashew apple. Its natural state is both very weird-looking and very poisonous. The main used part of the cashew nut is the cashew kernel
Their slightly sweet flavor, satisfying crunch, and buttery texture pair well with a variety of flavors and culinary applications. Cashews are usually grouped with other types of tree nuts, but they also have a lot in common with legumes and seeds
A brief history of cashew nuts
Although it is now grown in many places, the origin of the cashew tree is from the northeastern region of Brazil. It was later brought to India by the Spaniards in the 16th century. The Portuguese empire at that time also brought cashew trees to their colonies in Africa such as Kongo or Mozambique. They planted it in Goa to prevent coastal erosion. Cashew nut trees are used to mitigate soil erosion because of their extensive root system, which keeps the soil beneath them firmly in place. From India, the cashew tree then quickly spread throughout Southeast Asia such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, etc
Today’s commercial cashew trees are grown mainly in places where there is a lot of rain and wet weather throughout the year such as in the Southeast region of Vietnam.
The cashew seed is commonly considered a snack nut (cashew nut) eaten on its own, used in recipes, or processed into cashew cheese or cashew butter. Like the tree, the nut is often simply called cashew. Cashew allergies are triggered by the proteins found in tree nuts, and cooking often does not remove or change these proteins
Where do cashews come from?
While many of the cashews produced for commerce come from Africa and India, the cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale) is native to tropical regions of Brazil. The tree produces a long, fleshy stalk, called a cashew apple, which resembles a small pear. The mature cashew apple can be eaten fresh as well as cooked. At the end of this stalk grows the kidney-shaped cashew nut that many know and love.
Cashew grows in areas with tropical climates; at elevations from sea level to 1,000 m with annual rainfall from 400 to 4,000 mm; in parallel from 30 degrees North to 30 degrees South. They are grown mainly in India, Vietnam, Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau, Tanzania, Benin, Brazil; and other countries in East and West Central Africa and Southeast Asia. Moreover, cashew is also grown in South Africa and Australia
Cashew nuts are protected by a double shell containing a potent poison called anacardic acid. This oily substance— closely related to urushiol, the toxic compound found in poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac— acts as an irritant, causing an allergic rash on the skin. Its corrosive coating is the reason that cashew nuts are not sold in their shells like pistachios or peanuts. Instead, cashews are typically dried and roasted, a process that rids the nut of toxic oils and leaves its shell brittle and easy to remove.
Where do cashews come from in Vietnam?
In the Cashew nuts Industry, Vietnam is the largest producer and exporter of cashew kernels in the world. Over 65 percent of the world’s export of cashew kernels is accounted for by Vietnam. Cashews nut from Vietnam (Vietnamese cashews) are consumed in as many as 90 countries all over the world, the major markets being the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Netherlands, Australia, Canada, Germany Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand, and the Middle East countries.
In Vietnam, cashew trees are popular in the south; especially in the Central Highlands and Southeast regions; and there are a few grown in the West. Currently, the provinces with the largest cashew growing areas include Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai, Dak Lak, Binh Thuan and Binh Dinh.
Guidelines for importers sourcing Vietnamese Cashew nut
Vietnam has grown from a small country exporting raw cashew nuts to the world’s biggest exporter of cashew kernels in the last 30 years. Vietnam has exported cashew kernels to over 90 countries and territories, accounting for over 80% of global cashew exports. Cashew exports brought in more than 31 billion dollars. This demonstrates the high quality of Vietnamese cashew nuts. Vihaba will demonstrate two methods for importing this high-quality cashew.
There are 2 ways to import cashew nuts from Vietnam:
- Importer can establish a Vietnam based export company. You can export raw cashew nuts or build your own factory in Vietnam then collect cashew nuts directly from local farms. You can go to the farms, sign the outcome contracts and supervise them to meet quality or requirements. The advantage to export cashew nuts from Vietnam is 0% export tax as regulated by decree 125 of the Government and the price of cashew nuts is among the lowest.
- Importers can contact the local export companies, by this way, it will minimize procedures for you. You can import raw cashew nuts or refined cashew nuts from local exporters. The process: local exporters will send you a sample of cashew nuts for your approval or you can directly meet them in Vietnam. All procedures, certificates made by Vietnam based exporters.
With the question “Where do cashews come from?”, I bet that I did find the answer. Besides, Vietnamese cashews are becoming more and more popular in the world with a variety of types, flavors and shapes. So that everyone in the world can use Vietnamese cashews, our company – Vihaba is ready to supply the best quality cashew nuts. Especially is cashew kernel with types of raw and roasted nut