05/05/2025 Comments Off on New Crop vs. Old Crop: What Buyers Need to Know about Vietnam Cashews

As Vietnam enters the peak of its 2025 cashew harvest season, international buyers are increasingly focused on the differences between new crop and old crop cashew kernels. Understanding these distinctions is essential for procurement decisions, pricing strategy, and long-term product quality.

🆕 What Is “New Crop”?

The new crop refers to cashew kernels produced from raw cashew nuts harvested during the current crop year—typically between late February and May in Vietnam. These kernels offer:

  • Fresher moisture content, which supports better roasting results
  • Natural aroma and a clean, vibrant nutty taste
  • Whiter appearance and more consistent size and color
  • Longer shelf life, up to 18 months under proper storage

New crop kernels are preferred for retail packaging, roasting, and premium export segments.

🕰️ What Is “Old Crop”?

The old crop refers to kernels made from raw nuts harvested in the previous crop year, often stored in controlled environments for later use. While still commercially usable, they may present:

  • Drier texture and reduced oil content
  • Slight yellowing in appearance and mild fading in flavor
  • Lower roasting efficiency and slightly more breakage
  • Shorter shelf life, usually 12–14 months

Old crop cashews are typically priced lower and often used in industrial food production, confectionery, or oil extraction.

🔍 Key Quality Differences

1. Appearance

  • New crop: Whiter, more uniform in color
  • Old crop: Slight yellowing, less visual consistency

2. Taste

  • New crop: Strong, nutty flavor with fresh aroma
  • Old crop: Milder taste, may fade if stored too long

3. Roasting Yield

  • New crop: Higher yield, fewer broken kernels
  • Old crop: Slightly lower yield due to brittleness

4. Shelf Life

  • New crop: Up to 18 months (if well stored)
  • Old crop: Typically 12–14 months

đź’µ Price Considerations

Old crop cashew kernels are usually 5–10% cheaper than new crop, depending on quality and market conditions. However, during periods of high demand or tight supply, this price gap can narrow—especially for popular grades like WW320 and WW240.

Buyers should always verify:

  • The harvest year and production batch
  • Storage conditions (humidity, temperature, ventilation)
  • Moisture content and lab reports (especially for old crop)

📦 SVC’s Position

At SVC, we clearly separate new crop and old crop inventory for buyer transparency. For Q2/2025:

  • We focus on fresh new crop WW320 & WW240 for key markets
  • Maintain traceability and moisture control across all shipments
  • Offer flexible sourcing solutions tailored to each client’s needs—whether for premium packaging or industrial use

By prioritizing quality, transparency, and reliability, SVC supports our partners in making well-informed, cost-effective decisions in a shifting global market.

SVC INTERNATIONAL JSC
Email: thanh@svc.vn
Phone: 0909432477
WhatsApp: Click here
Daily Cashew Price Updates : Click here