Cashew Nuts

Ghana cashew nuts are some of the most nutritious nuts on our planet. Cashew nuts contain unsaturated fat, iron, proteins, iron, calcium, among other minerals and nutrients. Ghanaian people are said to have brilliant memories because of their cashew nuts consumption. 

Anacardium occidentale is the scientific name for the cashew tree. The cashew tree is an evergreen tree that grows in tropical regions. The tall variant of the cashew tree can grow up to 14 meters while the dwarf variant can reach heights of 6 meters. 

Ghana cashew nuts can be termed as the seeds of the fruit (“apple”) produced by the cashew tree. The cashew is a drought-resistant crop that requires four to six months to flower and produce fruits.

Cashew nuts originated from Central America, and cultivation is documented to have begun in the 1500s. 

Cashew nuts in Ghana are mostly produced by small scale farmers representing about 85% of the total production. It is estimated that over 70,000 hectares of land in Ghana is used to grow cashew nuts. Some of the cashew nuts growing areas include; Ahafo and Bono areas. 

Statistics show that Ghana produced north of 80,000 tons of cashew nuts in the previous year. This ranks cashew nuts as one of the top export commodities in Ghana in terms of value. Almost all of Ghana’s cashew nuts are exported raw. 

Brazilian, Tanzania, and Benin are the cashew nuts varieties grown in Ghana.

The Brazilian type is the most common in Ghana. This variety is preferred mostly for its hardiness against weather conditions and crop diseases. In addition, the nut quality is superb and provides high yields. 

The peak season for cashew nuts in Ghana is from January to June. Cashews produce the highest yields when cultivated in fertile sandy and loamy soils. Any altitude from sea level to 1000m is requisite for the plant to flourish. Temperature requirements are anything from 20°C to 34°C. Cashew nuts take two months to ripen fully. 

The cashew apple is harvested through a quick process since it is highly perishable. 

The kernel of the cashew nut is delicate; hence the nuts are packaged in Flexi packs. Carbon dioxide is also filled in bags to prevent rancidness. 

Global demand for cashew nuts increased by more than 25% in the last two years. The main export markets for cashew nuts from Ghana are India and Vietnam, accounting for almost 95% of all exports. In the past year, the export value for Ghana cashew nuts was over $300 million.