cashew tree is also known as chicken cashew, jieshouguo, and kareo tree. It belongs to the phylum of seed plants, dicotaceae, , , Cassia genus. Evergreen trees can generally grow to 6-10 meters high. The fruit of the cashew tree consists of two parts: the upper and lower parts. The flesh part of the upper half is called the cashew pear, and the seed part of the lower half is called the cashew nut.
cashew tree growth requires annual sunshine of more than 2,000 hours, annual precipitation of 1,000~1,600 mm, and a high temperature environment. Only when the average temperature in that month can it bloom and bear fruit normally. When the temperature is around 20℃, trees grow slowly, and when the temperature is below 15℃, plants are prone to death. Cashew trees bloom after two years of planting, start to bear fruit in the third year, and enter the peak fruiting period eight years later, and generally reach 15 to 25 years.
Cashew nut shells are hard and wrapped in seed kernels. They are as sweet as honey and contain high calories. The calorie sources are mainly fat, followed by carbohydrates and protein. Cashew nuts are highly adaptable and are a tree species that likes warmth and is strongly positive. It is drought-resistant and barren-resistant, and has a certain ability to resist wind. Cashew trees are mainly distributed in dozens of countries and regions within 20 degrees north and south latitude. Their origin is in the northeast of Brazil, , Brazil, India, , Tanzania, , Mozambique and other countries are their main production areas. Cashew trees were introduced to Asia and Africa in the 16th century and were introduced to China in the 1940s. The countries with larger cashew cultivation areas in the world include India, Brazil, Vietnam, Côte d'Ivoire, Mozambique, and Tanzania. Statistics of the World FAO show that ": The global cashew nut (shelled, the same below) production reached 4.093 million tons in 2018, and the global cashew nut production in 2019 was 3.9607 million tons. 2009-2019 Global cashew nut production Statistics chart Source: FAO, Zhiyan Consulting compiled In 2019, the cashew nut production in Africa represented by Côte d'Ivoire and Mozambique was 2.3344 million tons; the Asian region dominated by India and Vietnam was 1.4749 million tons; the cashew nut production in the America region dominated by Brazil was 151,400 tons. 2009-2019 Global cashew nut production subregional statistics chart Source: FA O, Zhiyan Consulting compiled Coffee nut production in Côte d'Ivoire is 793,000 tons, accounting for 20.01% of the global total output; Brazil's cashew production is 138,800 tons, accounting for 3.50%; India's cashew production is 743,000 tons, accounting for 18.76%; Mozambique cashew production is 107,100 tons, accounting for 5.68%; Vietnam's cashew production is 283,300 tons , accounting for 7.15%; Tanzania's cashew production was 225,100 tons, accounting for 5.68%. 2019 cashew production statistics chart 
Source: FAO, Zhiyan Consulting compiled
2019 global cashew production regional concentration
Source: FAO, Zhiyan Consulting and Organized
In my country, cashew nuts are mainly distributed in Hainan and Yunnan, and are also introduced in Guangxi, Guangdong, Fujian and Taiwan. Hainan Province Ledong Back to Jianfengling Ledong Cashew nut farm is the first cashew nut farm plantation in my country, which once covers an area of more than 3,000 hectares of . Ledong Li people are themselves Zhixian County is known as "natural greenhouse", "hot treasure land", "green treasure house", "casket nut hometown" and "tourist destination". It is the largest cashew farm base in the country and a unique southern breeding base.
In recent years, affected by the low economic benefits of the cashew nut planting industry, major enterprises and farmers in Hainan Province, the main cashew nut production area in my country, have basically withdrawn from the cashew nut planting field. In 2000, the cashew nut planting area in Hainan Province reached 5,272 hectares. By 2019, only a 2 hectares of planting area remained. Hainan Province's cashew (shelled) production dropped from 1,177 tons in 2000 to more than 40 tons in 2019, of which there was no harvest in 2017 and 2018. According to FAO statistics, my country's cashew production dropped from 590 tons in 2009 to 149 tons in 2019.
China's cashew production from 2009 to 2019 Volume trend chart
Source: FAO, Zhiyan Consulting compiled
The shell of cashew nuts is very special. It is not only very hard, but also contains shell oil with extremely toxic and corrosiveness, which will erode the skin and have strong irritation to the mouth. If you don’t peel the shell first, it will be inedible. At present, the number of cashew nuts (with shells) imported in China is limited, and the main imported cashew nut products in China are imported.
Typical processing process of cashew nuts
Source: Zhiyan Consulting compiled
According to customs statistics, my country's annual cashew imports remained below 10,000 tons. In 2019, my country's cashew imports increased, with cashew imports reaching 128.05.61 tons and imports of 18.7667 million US dollars.
1996-2019 China's cashew import and export statistics table
Source: China Customs and Zhiyan Consulting compiled
Comprehensive FAO and customs data: In 2017, my country's cashew (shelled) apparent consumption was 8055.0 tons, the apparent consumption of cashew nuts in 2018 was 6929.0 tons, and domestic demand increased to 12953.6 tons in 2019.
2009-2019 China's cashew nuts (shelled) production and sales statistics
Source: FAO, China Customs, Zhiyan Consulting and Organized
According to industry experience, the kernel yield rate of cashew nuts (shelled) is approximately about 30%. According to the processing rate of 100% and the kernel yield rate of 30%: my country's cashew nut output in 2018 was 2078.7 tons, and my country's cashew nut output in 2019 was 3886.1 tons.
2009-2019 China's cashew nut production trend chart
Source: FAO, China Customs, Zhiyan Consulting and Collected
According to customs statistics, my country's cashew nut imports in 2019 were 23,600 tons, with an import volume of 119.51% year-on-year; the import amount was US$165.3761 million, with an import amount of 81.82% year-on-year; in 2019, the average import price of cashew nuts in my country was US$6.99/kg, with an average import price of 17.17% year-on-year.
1996-2019 China's cashew nut import and export statistics chart
Source: compiled by China Customs and Zhiyan Consulting
In 2019, the export volume of cashew nuts in China was 759.84 tons, an increase of 10.87% year-on-year; the export volume was US$443,700, and the export volume increased by 67.78% year-on-year; in 2019, the average export price of cashew nuts in my country was US$5.84/kg, and the average export price increased by 51.33% year-on-year.
1996-2019 China's cashew nut import and export average price trend chart
Source: China Customs, Zhiyan Consulting and Collected
my country's cashew nuts are mainly imported from Vietnam, Indonesian , Cambodia and other countries. In 2019, my country imported 22371.19 tons of cashew nuts from Vietnam, with an import amount of US$157.5129 million.
2019 China's cashew nut import source distribution
Source: China Customs and Zhiyan Consulting compiled
According to estimates, the apparent consumption of cashew nuts in my country was 12,780.8 tons in 2018, and in 2019, my country's cashew nuts increased to 27,452.7 tons.
2011-2019 China's cashew nut supply and demand balance statistics table
Source: China Customs, Zhiyan Consulting and Organized
