Cashew Nuts Exports Decline in Eight Months
Cambodia exported 634,000 tons of cashew nuts in the first eight months of 2023, a plunge of 16 percent compared to the same period in 2022. Photo: Uon Silot
- By Chhum Chantha
- October 17, 2023 3:52 PM
PHNOM PENH – Cambodia exported 634,000 tons of cashew nuts in the first eight months of 2023, a plunge of 16 percent compared to the same period in 2022.
Ninety-five percent, equivalent to 613,000 tons, was exported to Vietnam, worth $829 million, according to the data of the Cambodian Cashew Nut Association.
The association president, Uon Silot, said the decline was caused by climate change as some farmers had to cut down trees because they did not bear enough fruits.
At the same time, he sees more and more transformation companies coming into business and buying locally-grown cashews before they are exported, in line with the national policy on cashew nuts, approved in early 2023.
These companies, which process the nuts by removing the skin and making them ready to be consumed, can help increase national production and add more value to the whole sector.
So far, most of the transformation is taking place in Vietnam. But the national policy voted earlier this year aims to turn Cambodia into a major producer and supplier of cashews in local, regional and international markets, by promoting both the competitiveness and quality of the product.
“Since early 2023, we had predicted that the exports would decline,” said Silot. “Some farmers cut down their trees due to the unfavorable weather.”
Climate change has become a concern in the last four years, making the cashew yields go down by 30 to 40 percent.
The agricultural land dedicated to cashew production decreased by around 100,000 hectares in two years. From 800,000 hectares in 2021, cashew trees cover around 700,000 hectares of land in 2023.
Originally written in Khmer for ThmeyThmey, this article was translated by Nhor Sokhoeurn for Cambodianess.
