Vietnam’s cashew industry in the first six months of 2025 has remained resilient, with steady export growth, relatively stable FOB pricing, and notable shifts in global buyer demand. With certified factories and expanding product diversification, Vietnam continues to lead the global cashew kernel market in both volume and capability.
📦 Export Performance & Market Dynamics
From January to June 2025, Vietnam exported an estimated 142,000 metric tons of cashew kernels, generating around USD 904 million, which reflects a 9.3% increase compared to H1/2024. Key drivers of this growth include steady demand from the United States and EU, increased interest from the Middle East, and a notable rise in small-volume OEM orders.
- The United States remained the top destination, with continued preference for WW320 in bulk vacuum-packed formats.
- European buyers, especially in Germany, France, and the Netherlands, increased orders of organic and retail-ready cashew products, responding to clean-label and sustainability trends.
- The Middle East, including UAE and Saudi Arabia, significantly boosted imports of roasted and flavored cashews, particularly during Ramadan and Eid seasons.
- In Asia, markets like Japan and Korea maintained solid purchasing behavior, although competition intensified from India and Cambodia in the raw kernel segment.
Vietnamese exporters, especially those with certified facilities, benefited from being able to serve both traditional buyers and newer niche segments.
💰 FOB Pricing Trends and Cost Pressures
FOB prices in H1/2025 were relatively stable. Average prices were:
- WW320: 7.25–7.50 USD/kg
- WW240: 7.60–7.80 USD/kg
- LP: 4.10–4.40 USD/kg
- SP: 2.70–2.95 USD/kg
This stability was supported by consistent raw cashew nut (RCN) imports from Africa, minimal volatility in the USD/VND exchange rate, and cautious restocking behavior from international buyers.
However, stability in pricing did not necessarily translate to higher margins. Vietnamese cashew processors faced rising costs in packaging materials, inland transportation, and labor. Exporters were forced to adjust internal efficiencies or increase the share of higher-value products to protect margins.
🔄 Shift in Global Demand: From Commodity to Consumer
The first half of 2025 confirmed a shift in the structure of global demand. Buyers are moving beyond raw kernels to seek:
- Flavored & roasted SKUs tailored to regional tastes
- Organic-certified cashews with traceability
- OEM/private-label formats with full labeling and packaging customization
In comparison to H1/2024, the demand share changed as follows:
- Raw bulk kernels: from 78% → 69%
- Roasted & flavored: from 11% → 18%
- Organic-certified: from 7% → 9%
- OEM/private-label: stable at 4% but with more frequent customization requests
Buyers are no longer just sourcing by grade and price. They are sourcing by function, flavor, certification, and shelf-readiness.
🏭 SVC Cashew: Strategic Exporter Position
As a leading certified cashew processor, SVC Cashew adapted early to these market shifts. In H1/2025, SVC:
- Expanded export destinations to 46 countries, including growth in South Korea, Germany, and the UAE.
- Raised the proportion of roasted and flavored products to 21% of total shipments.
- Maintained full international certification: BRC, HACCP, Organic EU, FSPCA, Halal, Kosher.
- Introduced updated OEM packaging formats: PET jars, kraft pouches, retail zip pouches with barcode and multilanguage labeling.
- Strengthened traceability and documentation with digital batch coding, especially for EU and North American clients.
SVC also released weekly FOB price updates and offered MOQ flexibility to adapt to a volatile logistics environment.
⚠️ Risks & Uncertainties
Despite growth, several challenges remain in the second half of the year:
- India’s return to the global kernel market with aggressive pricing may disrupt Southeast Asian competition.
- China’s import demand is still underperforming, leaving capacity underutilized in some quarters.
- Domestic trucking and port handling costs have increased by 5–8%, affecting inland logistics from Bình Phước and Tây Nguyên to export ports.
- Weather irregularities in Vietnam’s cashew-growing regions could affect the 2025 harvest season, with early signs of lower yield and shorter flowering periods.
Exporters must stay agile, manage inventory smartly, and focus on segments that bring the most added value.
🔮 Strategic Outlook for H2/2025
Looking ahead, Vietnam’s cashew industry is expected to maintain stable export volume in Q3/2025, but more competitiveness is anticipated in pricing and product differentiation.
Key trends to watch:
- Increase in OEM and private-label orders from Europe and North America
- Continued growth in gift-packaged and flavored SKUs for the Middle East and East Asia
- Buyer preference for factories offering real-time communication, certified production, and logistics transparency
Vietnam’s ability to stay ahead will depend on how well its exporters, including SVC, balance price, packaging innovation, and operational agility.
📌 Source: VINACAS, Vietnam Customs, Internal Data from SVC Cashew – First Half of 2025