New Delhi: Export-facilitator Agricultural and Processed Food Products Development Authority (APEDA), which works under the Ministry of Commerce, flagged off the shipments of cashew nuts to Bangladesh, Qatar, Malaysia and the USA to mark National Cashew Day on Thursday, an official statement said.

Bangladesh will be receiving its first-ever shipment of cashew nuts all the way from Odisha.

After Côte d'Ivoire, India is the second largest producer and exporter of cashew nuts with a share of more than 15%, followed by Vietnam in the world’s cashew export. India’s top export destinations are the UAE, the Netherlands, Japan, and Saudi Arabia.

Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are the major cashew-producing states in India. India primarily exports Cashew Kernels with small quantities of cashew nut Shell Liquid and Cardanol.

With the UAE and the Netherlands remaining as the top export destinations for Indian cashew nuts, APEDA is working towards exploring new markets for cashew in the international markets of Japan, Saudi Arabia, UK, Spain, Kuwait, Qatar, USA and European countries, etc.

In the future, APEDA may intervene in the automation of the cashew industry. Training of professionals, registration of cashew processing units, and a traceability system will be formulated for cashew, replicating peanuts, the statement said.

APEDA will disseminate cashew-related information to stakeholders. APEDA is dedicated to continually exploring innovative methods, leveraging technology, and strengthening trade relations to ensure that Indian cashew products reach every corner of the world.