Bright spot in the Chinese market
According to the report of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, export volume of cashew nuts in June 2025 is estimated at 70,000 tonnes with a value of 475.4 million USD, bringing total export volume and value of cashew nuts in the first 6 months of 2025 to 346,800 tonnes and 2.36 billion USD, down 2.7% in volume but up 20.4% in value compared to the same period in 2024.
Average export price of cashew nuts in the first 6 months of 2025 is estimated at 6,805.4 USD/tonne, up 23.8% compared to the same period in 2024. China, the United States and the Netherlands are the 3 largest cashew nut consuming markets of Vietnam, accounting for market shares of 22%, 21.6% and 8.4% respectively.
Compared to the same period last year, the value of cashew exports in the first 5 months of 2025 to the Chinese market increased by 41.2%, the US market increased by 0.1%, and the Dutch market increased by 22.4%. In the group of 15 largest export markets, the value of cashew exports increased the most in the United Arab Emirates market with an increase of 50.4% and decreased the most in the Australian market with a decrease of 16.1%.
Notably, according to preliminary statistics of Customs Department, May 2025 recorded the highest amount of cashew nuts exported from Vietnam to the Chinese market in the past 3 years.
In general, in the first 5 months of 2025, Vietnam exported 65,790 tonnes of cashew nuts to China, worth 414.94 billion USD, up 21.7% in volume and 41.2% in value compared to the same period in 2024.
Average export price of cashew nuts to the Chinese market continues to grow strongly. In May 2025, the average export price of cashew nuts from Vietnam to China reached 6,350 USD/tonne, up 1.2% compared to April 2025 and up 15.7% compared to May 2024. In general, in the first 5 months of 2025, the average export price of cashew nuts from Vietnam to China reached 6,307 USD/tonne, up 16% compared to the same period in 2024.
This reflects a positive growth trend in terms of demand, value and export unit price. This contributes to consolidating Vietnam's position in this large market and opens up good growth expectations for the second half of 2025, if quality and stable supply capacity are maintained.
Mr. Vu Thai Son, Chairman of Binh Phuoc Cashew Association, General Director of Long Son Joint Stock Company, said that the demand for cashew nuts in China is increasing, leading to Chinese traders buying a lot of Vietnamese cashew nuts in recent months. In particular, the export price of cashew nuts to China is higher than the export price to the United States.
In addition to China, cashew exports to many other markets are also growing positively such as the Netherlands, UAE, Japan, Philippines, India, etc.
Many potential markets for the Vietnamese cashew industry
According to the plan, the cashew industry sets an export target of 4.5 billion USD in 2025, an increase of 2.7% over the same period in 2024. With the results achieved in the first 6 months of the year, the possibility of reaching the finish line of the cashew industry is within reach.
Mr. Bach Khanh Nhut, Permanent Vice President of Vietnam Cashew Association (VINACAS), said that there are many potential markets for Vietnamese cashew industry, first of all, large and stable markets such as China, the EU, Australia, etc. In particular, the two markets that have increased sharply in cashew nut imports over the past year are the Middle East and the Netherlands. Vietnamese cashew industry can completely boost cashew nut exports to these markets.
To achieve export target, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien said that it is necessary to exploit both traditional and other potential markets. Accordingly, businesses need to promote and resolutely open new markets, adjust export plans, and target potential markets with high demand but low market share such as the Middle East (UAE, Saudi Arabia).
According to Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien, cashew exports to the EU have grown well in recent years, making it the third largest export market after the United States and China. The difficulty in accessing this market is that there are many regulations on products that must be produced sustainably, without pesticide residues, and regulations on not causing deforestation in cashew nut production.
However, in recent years, the trend of consuming processed products from nuts and grains has increased, so there is the possibility of increasing the export market share of this product group in the EU market. Actively implementing transparency of product origin, digital data traceability, investment in deep processing and building a national brand for the cashew industry in this market also needs to be promoted.
Particularly for the Chinese market, the demand for cashew nuts in China tends to increase. Some international market analysis companies commented that China's population growth has contributed to increasing the demand for nuts, including cashew nuts.
Chinese people, especially the younger generation, spend most of their day traveling or working, so the need for snacks is very high. The demand for snacks such as cashew nuts and cashew-related products is increasing rapidly because they are considered healthy and good for health.
Businesses in the industry recommend that, in order to maintain the growth momentum of cashew exports to this market, the Vietnamese cashew industry needs to continue to focus on improving product quality, stabilizing supply, diversifying deeply processed products and paying attention to increasingly strict technical control and traceability requirements from China.

Source: Vitic/ congthuong.vn