Cashew imports from Vietnam into the US continue to trail last year, falling year-on-year (y-o-y) for the third consecutive month in April to 6,914 tonnes (-24% y-o-y). The year-to-date (YTD) imports amounted to 32,455 tonnes (Jan-Apr), according to the USDA FAS data. This is 16% below the five-year average.
However, with the US-bound cashew exports from Vietnam accelerating in April and May, due to the increased urgency to ship material within the 90-day pause in the US import levies, US cashew imports are anticipated to show a growth during May and mainly June.
In the EU, imports from Vietnam run ahead of the last year, unlike in the US. The EU imported 8,700 tonnes of Vietnam-processed cashew kernels in April 2025, an increase of 9% y-o-y, up 10% on the five-year average, but down 1,550 tonnes from the March volume, according to the Eurostat. The YTD imports reached 40,690 tonnes (Jan-Apr), up 15% y-o-y and an increase of 13% on the five-year average.
Imports of Ivorian processed cashews continue to accelerate into the US and the EU as the world’s largest cashew producer steadily grows its domestic processing capacity, taking market share away from Vietnam.
The US imported almost 700 tonnes of cashew kernels from Cote d’Ivoire in April, up 52% y-o-y. The YTD shipments from Cote d’Ivoire into the US amounted to 2,735 tonnes between January and April, up 27% y-o-y and 30% above the five-year average.
In the EU, imports from Cote d’Ivoire continue to grow at a rapid rate. The European trading bloc imported 1,865 tonnes of cashew kernels from Cote d’Ivoire in April 2025, up 45% y-o-y.
Since the start of the year, cashew imports from Cote d’Ivoire into the EU reached 9,445 tonnes, up 45% y-o-y and an increase of 69% on the five-year average. For comparison, five years ago, imports during the first four months of 2020 totalled slightly below 900 tonnes.
Written by Jara Zicha
