Vietnam imported nearly 1.45 million metric tons of
cashew nuts from the international market during the first five months of 2026, according to independent agricultural advisory service N’kalo. The figures are based on customs statistics cited in the organization’s latest cashew market bulletin published on June 16.
While the volume was up 12% from the same period in 2025, the performance of the leading suppliers varied widely, particularly among Africa’s four main exporters: Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria.
Tanzania and Côte d’Ivoire Post Growth
Among African exporters, Tanzania and Côte d’Ivoire recorded positive momentum during the period under review. Tanzania exported 154,153 metric tons to Vietnam, up 16% from a year earlier, making it the Asian country’s leading African supplier so far this year.
Côte d’Ivoire posted the strongest growth in export flows from Africa. The country shipped 107,090 metric tons, marking a 93% increase from the same period in 2025.
N’kalo did not explain the reasons behind these performances in its report, but some developments can be linked to the results. The latest statistics released by Tanzania’s Ministry of Agriculture in May showed the country’s cashew harvest rose 16% to 617,683 metric tons.
In Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s largest producer of the commodity, authorities have stepped up efforts in recent years to curb smuggling in order to improve supplies for domestic processing plants and reduce exports through informal channels.
Ghana and Nigeria Lose Momentum
Unlike the trend seen in Tanzania and Côte d’Ivoire, the two other major West African exporters posted sharply weaker performances.
Ghana, recognized as one of Vietnam’s main traditional suppliers at the start of the marketing season, recorded a 51% decline in shipments to 28,129 metric tons during the first five months of 2026. According to N’kalo, the downturn resulted from a combination of factors, including "a disappointing harvest and the restriction of smuggling from Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina," which significantly reduced exportable volumes from Ghana.
Nigeria followed the same trend, exporting 49,507 metric tons, down 29% from the same period in 2025. Together, the four African countries shipped nearly 339,000 metric tons of cashew nuts, accounting for about 23% of Vietnam’s imports between January and May 2026.
