Cashews from Mozambique
Mozambique was Africa's original cashew superpower — through the 1970s it produced more raw cashew nut than any country on earth. Production collapsed after civil war and policy reversals, but has been recovering for two decades. Today Mozambique remains a major counter-seasonal supplier alongside Tanzania.
Role
Heritage African producer, recovering volumes
Harvest
Oct–Jan (counter-seasonal)
Key provinces
Nampula, Cabo Delgado, Zambezia
The Mozambican story
Cashew was introduced to Mozambique by Portuguese colonizers in the 16th century — the same trade route that brought it to Goa. By the 1960s, Mozambique was producing over 200,000 tonnes of RCN annually, the world's largest. Post-independence policy, civil war (1977-1992), and a controversial liberalization in the 1990s caused production to crash. Recovery has been slow but real — Mozambique now produces 80,000-120,000 MT/year, with smallholder farms dominating the supply structure.
Why source from Mozambique
- Counter-seasonal — Oct-Jan harvest fills the Northern off-season window
- Organic-leaning — minimal-input smallholder agriculture supports organic certification
- Heritage storytelling — for brands wanting origin narratives, Mozambique's history adds depth
- Nacala Port — direct international shipping access
Things to know
- Volume is recovering but still well below historic peaks — large contracts may need to combine Mozambique with Tanzania
- Domestic processing has grown but capacity remains limited; most RCN exports to India and Vietnam
- Quality variability is higher than Vietnamese-processed product — pre-shipment inspection is essential
- Northern Mozambique has experienced security issues affecting export logistics; verify current routes with your processor