The National Cashew Institute in the province of Zambézia sold 17,056 tonnes of cashew nuts in the first quarter of this year, against its planned 16,800 tonnes, the institute’s provincial delegate in Quelimane, Ilídio Bacar, has revealed.
“It was possible to register about 17,056 tons at our fiscal positions at the different strategic points of the cashew nut trading circuit, against 16,800 tons, representing a performance above 100 percent,” Bacar said.
However, according to Bacar, “if we compare the indicators of the previous campaign, the sector registered a decrease in the order of 4 percent”.
The main reason for the decrease was the early withdrawal of major marketing players, combined with the rainfall at the beginning of last December, the peak period for ripening.
The quality of cashews is impaired by early rain, with negative implications for price. Access also become problematic, discouraging buyers.
In the last three growing seasons, the price has been attractive, so that even those who do not have cashews buy chestnuts where there is a large harvest.
The average price of cashew nuts this year is 62.49 meticais (just over one US dollar) a kilogram, against 53.95 meticais in the 2016/17 season.
Source: Rádio Moçambique/ Com
