Cashew nuts are kidney-shaped seeds that adhere to the bottom of the cashew apple, the fruit of the cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale). The nut itself is protected by a very strong shell, which needs to be roasted/steamed before it can be shelled. The edible part is the cashew nut kernel that is obtained after shelling. The kernel represents only around 20% of the whole cashew nut in weight. In most production countries, cashew trees have 2 or 3 flowering cycles and crop cycles during the year, depending on the weather conditions.
The cashew tree is native to northeast Brazil, but today it is grown in many areas of the world. Currently, the northern hemisphere accounts for 80% of the worlds raw cashew nuts production compared with the southern hemispheres 20%. The largest production area is West Africa, representing around 50% of global cashew output, with Ivory Coast as the leading producer. The second‑largest producer is India, followed by Vietnam and the Philippines. Tanzania is the top-producing country in East Africa. Overall, according to the Africa Cashew Alliance (ACA).
