Food processing: Vietnam cashew nut imports plummet by 40 percent in May

Vietnam’s imports of cashew nuts reached US$434.17 million in May 2025, according to figures released by Vietnam’s General Department of Customs. This represents a significant decrease of 40.70 percent compared to April, bringing the year-to-date (YTD) import value to US$2.08 billion.

Cambodia remains the top supplier despite a drastic decline:

Cambodia continued to be the largest source of cashew nut imports, with a value of US$186.23 million in May. However, this marks a drastic decrease of 71.58 percent from April. Despite this sharp decline, Cambodia still accounts for a substantial 63.76 percent of the total year-to-date imports.

African nations see remarkable surges in imports:

Several African countries exhibited extraordinary month-on-month growth in their cashew nut exports to Vietnam in May, though from significantly lower bases in April:

• Ivory Coast recorded an astonishing surge of 1287.52 percent, reaching US$63.61 million.
• Nigeria saw a substantial increase of 658.68 percent, with imports valued at US$89.32 million.
• Ghana‘s imports jumped by 231.19 percent, reaching US$67.71 million.

These significant increases suggest a diversification of supply sources for Vietnam’s cashew nut industry, potentially due to market dynamics or supply chain adjustments.

Tanzania experiences a sharp decline:

Conversely, imports from Tanzania experienced a massive decrease of 86.75 percent in May, falling to US$1.44 million. Tanzania, which accounted for a significant portion of YTD imports (11.66%), saw its contribution severely reduced in May.

The overall sharp decline in May’s cashew nut imports, coupled with the dramatic shifts in contributions from various suppliers, indicates a volatile market for this commodity in Vietnam.

See also: Food Processing Industry in Vietnam

Vietnam imports of cashew nut, May 2025, US$ millions