Cashews from Tanzania
Tanzania's cashew industry sits along the southern coast — Mtwara and Lindi regions — and harvests counter-seasonally to West Africa and India. For buyers smoothing year-round supply, Tanzanian RCN fills the Oct-Jan window the Northern producers can't.
Role
Major African RCN producer; growing processor
Harvest
Oct–Jan (counter-seasonal to North)
Key regions
Mtwara, Lindi, Coast Region (Pwani)
Tanzania's cashew belt
Cashew is one of Tanzania's most important cash crops, particularly for smallholder farmers in the south-eastern regions of Mtwara, Lindi, and Pwani. Production peaked at over 100,000 tonnes in the early 1970s, declined dramatically through the 1980s-90s due to disease and policy changes, and has since recovered. Tanzania currently produces 200,000+ MT of RCN annually, most exported raw to Asian processors.
Why source from Tanzania
- Counter-seasonal supply — Tanzanian harvest peaks Oct-Jan, exactly when Indian and West African origins are off-season. Essential for year-round contract supply.
- Quality reputation — Tanzanian RCN has historically commanded a small premium over West African origins on KOR (kernel out-turn ratio)
- Organic potential — smallholder farms with minimal pesticide use enable credible organic certification programs
- Mtwara Port — direct shipping access
Things to know
- Most RCN exports go to Vietnam and India; sourcing processed kernels directly from Tanzanian processors is possible but volume-constrained
- Quality varies year-to-year more than Indian or Vietnamese supply — diligent pre-shipment inspection is recommended
- The Cashewnut Board of Tanzania (CBT) auctions are a primary price-discovery mechanism
- Smallholder structure means SMETA / Fair-trade certification can be added with proper aggregator practices