Mozambique anticipates 23% growth in its 2025 cashew production
In East Africa, Mozambique is the second-largest producer and exporter of cashew nuts, following Tanzania. The country’s cashew industry is set to experience a significant increase in production for the 2025 season.
MOZAMBIQUE – According to the latest government projections, cashew nut production in Mozambique is expected to reach 218,900 tonnes in 2025.
If this forecast is realized, it would represent a 23% increase over last year’s harvest of 177,650 tonnes.
This growth is projected to expand the area of productive orchards by 13,400 hectares, bringing the total to 64,000 hectares.
The anticipated surge in cashew nut production, which is largely attributed to the entry of new plantations into production, is expected to positively impact the export performance of the Mozambican cashew industry.
The East African region has increasingly become a preferred sourcing area for major Asian importers, particularly in Vietnam.
Data from the Central Bank of Mozambique indicates that the industry generated US$98.2 million in export revenue in 2024.
This growth may also help Mozambique reposition itself on the continental level, as it comes closer to Benin, which is the fifth-largest African producer of cashew nuts, following Ivory Coast, Tanzania, Nigeria, and Guinea-Bissau. Benin is expected to produce 225,000 tonnes this year.
To maintain the momentum observed in the sector, the government is mobilizing additional investments in the production and distribution of high-quality cashew plants for farmers, with the aim of expanding the national orchard in the coming years.
For the 2025 campaign, authorities plan to distribute and plant 6.67 million cashew trees at a total cost of US$1.4 million.
Mozambique has established itself as a significant cashew-producing nation, with production continuously on the rise.
In the 2023/2024 season, the country produced 305,014 metric tonnes of cashew nuts, a marked increase from the 189,114 metric tonnes produced in the previous season.
Nearly 70% of Mozambique’s cashew trees are located in the “cashew belt,” which encompasses the northern provinces of Nampula, Zambezia, and Cabo Delgado.
Cashew production serves as a crucial source of income for approximately 1.4 million rural producers in Mozambique, who typically manage small plots with 10 to 20 cashew trees alongside other crops.
Cashew nuts are a vital export commodity for Mozambique, significantly contributing to the country’s agricultural exports.
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