Cashews from India
The world's #2 cashew processor by volume — and the world's #1 consumer. India processes both its own raw cashew nut harvest and imported African RCN. Six states drive the trade, each with distinct specialties and price points.
Role
#2 processor • #1 consumer
Harvest
Feb – May (peak Mar – Apr)
Key certifications
FSSAI (mandatory), APEDA (export), BRC, HACCP, USDA Organic
Cashew regions of India
Goa
Heritage processing belt. Strong in W180–W240. Home of cashew feni — the only cashew apple distillate of trade significance.
Read the regional guide →
Kerala
Kollam district is India's historical cashew processing hub. Large workforce, deep traditional capacity. Strong in W320 export.
Read the regional guide →
Karnataka
Mangalore and Dakshina Kannada lead. Mid-size processors, mix of domestic and export.
Read the regional guide →
Andhra Pradesh
Palasa cluster — strong domestic processing for the Indian sweets market.
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Tamil Nadu
Panruti cluster — growing processing capacity, increasingly export-oriented.
Read the regional guide →
Maharashtra
Konkan coast (Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri) — premium organic potential.
Read the regional guide →
Why source from India
Indian cashews carry several advantages for international buyers:
- Auditability. FSSAI registration plus APEDA registration creates a paper trail back to facility. Most large Indian processors layer BRC, HACCP, and SMETA audits on top.
- Quality reputation. Indian processing — especially Goan and Keralan — is historically associated with careful grading and premium presentation. W180 and W240 from India typically command 1–3% premiums over equivalent Vietnamese grades in US and EU retail.
- Organic supply. Coastal Maharashtra and Karnataka have a credible organic cluster, helped by smaller-farm structures.
- English-language operations. Documentation, certificates, and correspondence in English reduce friction for US, UK, EU, and Middle East buyers.
Things to know
- Indian RCN supply is structurally short — most Indian processors blend domestic + imported African RCN. Pure "100% Indian origin" lots are scarce and trade at a premium.
- Goan processing capacity has declined over the past decade as land use shifts; pricing has firmed correspondingly.
- Kerala and Karnataka are the volume centres for W320 export.
- The domestic Indian market (sweets, snacking, gifting) often absorbs the best lots before they reach export — large festive seasons (Diwali, Eid) can compress export availability.