As the Lunar New Year concludes, the global cashew market enters one of its most critical phases of the year. February is not a period of speculation or price discovery; it is a reset phase, where buyers reassess performance from the previous year and rebuild supply plans for the months ahead.
For exporters, this moment quietly determines who will remain on buyers’ supplier lists in 2026 and who will be phased out.
🔄 Why post-Tet behavior matters more than price signals
In early February, buyers are not primarily focused on negotiating prices. Instead, they are reviewing internal data from 2025: shipment performance, quality consistency, communication reliability, and execution discipline.
At this stage, buyers typically:
• Reduce the number of active suppliers
• Prioritize partners with proven execution history
• Shift volume toward suppliers who delivered consistently under pressure
Price becomes relevant only after these filters are applied. Suppliers who fail the execution test rarely reach the pricing discussion stage.
📊 How buyers reset their supplier lists
The post-Tet reset is a structured process rather than a spontaneous decision. Buyers evaluate suppliers based on concrete indicators accumulated over the previous cycle.
Key review criteria include:
• On-time shipment performance
• Frequency and severity of quality claims
• Accuracy of documentation and specifications
• Responsiveness during market disruptions
Suppliers who score poorly on these metrics are quietly replaced, even if their pricing was competitive.
🧭 Reliability as the foundation of new supply plans
In 2026, reliability has become the foundation upon which all supply plans are built. Buyers are increasingly aligning procurement strategies with suppliers who offer predictability rather than flexibility without structure.
This preference reflects the broader evolution of the cashew trade:
• Longer planning horizons
• Tighter inventory controls
• Higher downstream accountability to retailers and distributors
As a result, buyers favor exporters who can commit to realistic timelines and execute without surprises.
⚙️ What exporters must demonstrate in February
February shipments serve as a live test of supplier readiness. Exporters are evaluated not by promises, but by performance during this narrow execution window.
Buyers closely observe:
• Production stability after holiday shutdowns
• Quality consistency in early-year batches
• Communication clarity regarding schedules and constraints
Exporters who demonstrate discipline during this period often secure larger and more stable volumes for Q2 and Q3.
🌍 Market implications for 2026 supply chains
The post-Tet reset reshapes supply chains for the remainder of the year. Once buyers finalize their core supplier lists, changes become less frequent and more costly.
This dynamic explains why February decisions have an outsized impact on annual trade flows. Suppliers who align early with buyer expectations gain long-term visibility, while others struggle to re-enter once plans are locked.
📌 Conclusion
The post-Tet cashew market reset is not driven by price movements, but by performance evaluation. Buyers rebuild supply plans around reliability, execution discipline, and communication quality.
Exporters who understand this shift and prepare accordingly position themselves not just for February shipments, but for sustained relevance throughout 2026.
Market & Export Coordination
📧 Email: thanh@svc.vn
📱 WhatsApp: (+84) 909 432 477
🌍 Think Cashew Vietnam, Think SVC.