CASHEW NUTS TRADING.. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
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CASHEW NUT is a confection and agro export crop. Though active to South America, it is cultivated in some parts of West, Middlebelt and Eastern Nigeria. Areas like Ogbomosho, Ilorin, Oyo, Anyigba, Enugu, Lafia, Keffi etc.
The cashew nut tree is mostly cultivated for its nuts: the raw cashew nut is gray in color with about 3mm thick shell, inside this shell is the edible kernel covered by a light brown skin. It is either exported as raw cashew nut, i.e. in-shell or as processed cashew nut kernel in special packaging.
Most raw cashew nut is exported to India and Vietnam while the processed cashew kernel is exported to Europe and America being the largest consumer in the world.
The crop season in Nigeria is from February - May. But trading is usually all year round, some traders usually store the raw cashew nuts and sell when it is out of season and scarce.

HANDLING.
A raw cashew nut that looks good on the outside may have bad kernel inside. The yield of the kernels, percentage of defective, average size of the nuts and moisture content are used to determine the quality of the nuts, which usually determines the price a buyer may offer for any raw cashew nut.
Hence effort should be made to improve or conserve the expected good quality derived from proper handling.

THE FOLLOWING GOOD PRACTISE CAN HELP TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF CASHEW NUTS.
Do not harvest or pluck unripe cashew nuts because the kernel may be shriveled or immature. Hence, only mature and ripe cashew nuts should be harvested and this be done daily.
Do not let the nuts remain on the ground for more than a day before gathering to avoid long contact with soil moisture, sprouting and deterioration e.g. decay.
Sundry the harvested nuts as soon as possible for two or three days depending on the intensity of the sun.
Sundry on a clean surface and should be lightly spread (not higher than 3 inches) and turned regularly to allow uniform dryness.
Do not expose dry cashew nuts to moisture. This is a major requirement for agricultural commodities.
Use only jute bags to bag raw cashew nuts.
Do not heap it un-bagged or in plastic containers to avoid deterioration especially if not properly dried.
Do not bag it in poly-propylene bags.



QUALITY STANDARD.
Cashew nuts meant for export must be thoroughly dry and reasonably free from extraneous matter such as sticks, stalks and other vegetable matter other than cashew nuts. It must also be free from stones.
Total impurities (stones, sticks, stalks and other vegetable matter) shall not exceed 0.5% of 1kg sample analyzed.

NUT COUNTS:
170 – 180 ……………….. EXCELLENT
181 – 190 ……………….. VERY GOOD
191 – 200 ……………….. GOOD
201 – 210 ……………….. MIDDLE
211 – 220 ………………. LOW MIDDLE
221 – 230 ………………. LIMIT ACCEPTABLE
ABOVE 230 ………………. POOR.

Note: 170 – 210 nut count is usually the benchmark for exporting raw cashew nuts. But some importers may not be willing to buy RCN that is above 200 nut counts.
In Nigeria, the nut count per 1kg sample varies from zone to zone. While zones like Ogbomosho has between 170 and 180/185, kogi – 190 to 205/210, ondo – 190 to 205/210, Ilorin – 190 to 205, lafia/keffi – 200 to 210, etc.

MOISTURE.
Exportable quality shall not be more than 10%. You have to make sure the raw cashew nuts are properly sundried and the moisture content must be properly analyzed.

KERNEL OUT-TURN RATION (KOR)
It is the quality of good nut we get from 80kg of raw cashew nuts. The count is in pound per 80kg.

KOR REMARK
48 – 55 EXCELLENT
45 – 47 GOOD
40 – 44 AVERAGE
BELOW 40 LOW/POOR

DEFECTIVES
Diseased or mouldy – shall include all nuts which when cut reveal the presence of fungi growth or a milky patch or a spread of brown or black spot on the split kernel.
This is often caused by high moisture for several days prior to proper dryings, wrong packing and improper storage.

BROWN RANCID ROTTEN (BRR) – shall include all brown, rancid, rotten and discolored kernels which are light yellowish in color. This is caused by similar factors listed above.

VOID – these are nuts which show absence of kernel, emptiness or absence of a kernel of useful size. This is probably caused by natural malformation.

IMMATURE/SHRIVELED – shall include all nuts which when cut contain space between the kernel and the shell, shrink or contain kernel that is not fully developed. This is caused by harvesting immature nuts.

SPOTTED – shall include all nuts which show the presence of a black or brown spot on the kernel. This is caused by insect bite at the early stages of the development of the nuts.

INSECT DAMAGE (WEEVILLED) – shall include all cashew nuts which when cut show a state of insect attack or weevilled or presence of bead-like or powdery particles. Poor storage condition is responsible for this.

CHECK TEST FOR QUALITY
Carrying out a quality check test on cashew nuts like every other agricultural export produce begins with proper sampling. Samples shall be drawn from not less than 30% of consignment, sample shall be properly mixed, reduced and from which 1kg sample is drawn for analysis which include moisture, nut count, defectives and finally KOR.

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT METHODS:
The quality of a bad cashew nut consignment can be improved by hand picking.

HAND PICKING – means picking or removing all suspected cashew nuts such as very small nuts, light weight nuts apparently rotten, broken or wounded nuts out of the consignment.

MORE TO COME... KEEP FOLLOWING.

GUIDE TO HARVESTING AND POST-HARVEST HANDLING OF CASHEW NUTS.
Cashew is generally cultivated for the raw cashew nuts in Nigeria. Mature cashew trees normally start flowering in late November to December. The fruit matures in 90 – 100 days after flowering. The ripe fruits normally start to drop in late January, the peak fruit collection period is between mid February and mid April.
It is important to remember that the excellence and thoroughness of post harvest handling affects the quality of the product and thus brings better price to farmers.

Keep following thread for more...

Wonderful write up as usual! I'm following you bro.
God bless you.

babaagba1:
Wonderful write up as usual! I'm following you bro.
God bless you.

Thanks.

BEFORE HARVESTING – it is important to weed the area under the trees, clean ahead of harvesting. This will facilitate the picking of fruits (apples and nuts).

NUT HARVESTUING - collect only the fallen fruits and not the ones hanging on the trees. Only the fallen fruits are ripe and matured to provide good quality of nuts. It is advised to collect fruit at least every 2 -3 days to avoid quality loss of nuts.

HANDLING OF NUTS – neatly detach the apple completely from the nut, using a nylon thread or sharp knife. The quality of the nut is affected when the apple is not neatly discharged from the nut.

Air-dry collected nuts on concrete floors, drying mats or tarpaulins under sun for minimum 2 days.

Turn nuts frequently during the drying period to ensure uniform drying.

Avoid drying indoors, or on metallic since the quality of the nuts will deteriorate. Well dried nuts produce a rattling sound when turned on the drying floor.

Remove and discard immature, diseased, shriveled and damaged nuts along with any foreign matter when drying.

I guess i should handle my father's cashew plantation this coming season, thanks for this thread, following with great interest.

akinakinyele:
I guess i should handle my father's cashew plantation this coming season, thanks for this thread, following with great interest.

That's a nice idea but you will still need his experience and guidance.. Cos the practical aspect of the business is tedious.

STORAGE OF NUTS:
Store well – dried nuts in jute sacks, (not plastic or fertilizer sacks or containers like boxes, buckets etc).
Stitch jute sacks tightly to avoid spillage.
Place the sacks on wooden pallets in a dry, well – ventilated leak proof room.
Leave a clearance of at least 0.5m between the packed jute sacks and the roof as well as between sacks and walls of the storage room to allow air to circulate.
Sell nuts within the same year of harvest to prevent loss of quality.

Keep up the good work sir.

EXCERPT FROM MY E BOOK (A COMPREHENSIVE TEXTBOOK ON CASHEW NUTS TRADING).

PART 3 (SAMPLES AND QUOTATIONS)

CHAPTER 1

SAMPLE OF QUOTATION FOR CASHEW NUTS (FROM KWARA STATE DELIVERED TO LAGOS)

QUANTITY SUPPLIED 30 TONS

1. CASHEW NUTS @N80, 000/TON: 80,000 X 30 TONS.……………….………….. 2,400.000
2. BAGS (JUTE) @ N350/BAG X 13= N4500/TON: 4500 X 30 …………………. 136,500
3. LOADING @ N50/BAG X 13 = N650/TON: 650 X 30 ……………………………… 19,500
4. LABOUR: (sewing, grading etc) ……………………………………………………………. 10,000
5. PAPERS (from the point of procurement include; association paper… 30,000
Way bill, gate pass, produce fee etc.
6. PRODUCE FEE @ OGERE, OGUN STATE & BERGER, LAGOS STATE …………… 20,000
7. TRANSPORT (from kwara to Lagos) ………………………………………………………… 150,000
TOTAL …………….. 2,763,000

TOTAL COST OF A TRAILER LOAD (30 TONS) OF CASHEW NUTS IS TWO MILILION, SEVEN HUNDRED AND SIXTY THREE THOUSAND NAIRA.
Thus the final price per ton will be: 2,763,000 divided by 30 tons = N92, 100 (NINETY TWO THOUSAND AND ONE HUNDRED NAIRA).
Note that the actual price of cashew nuts per ton is now N92,100. It is now left for you to fix a suitable price for your consignment bearing in mind the actual cost of cashew nuts which is now N92,100 (ninety two thousand, one hundred naira). The profit margin when selling locally is not really attractive due to the competition, but the turnover is quite good. No matter the quantity you want to supply, buyers are always willing to purchase and pay you as soon as possible. There is always a standby buyer wishing to buy as many quantity you can supply at every point in time. There are local buyers/exporters that can buy up to 30 trailers in a day as long as you have goods to supply. They don’t owe suppliers money.
It is advisable to fix your profit margin between 8–15% when selling locally. (20% may be possible though but it is rare,most likely if you are supplying an individual who has an export contract or a private firm but definitely not those indian buying companies in lagos).
let's assume your profit marin is 10%, your sales price will be N101.310…. (9,210 + 92,100 =N101.310). Hence profit margin on a ton will be selling price subtracted by actual cost price: 101,310 – 92,100 = N9,210 Thus profit on a trailer load of cashew nuts (3o tons) will be 9210 x 30 = N276,300
Thus on a two million seven hundred and sixty three thousand investment, you will make two
hundred and seventy six thousand returns which is approximately 10% of your initial investment.
Now let’s assume you are supplying only twice a week, you will be making 276,300 x 2 = N552,600 (five hundred and fifty two thousand, six hundred naira) every week (supplying twice a week may not be possible for every seller,it depends on the supply capabilty of your source and also the availability of capital/fund).
Please note that the above quotation reflects the real cost of a transaction prepared by the author for a client at a particular time. The quotation was based on local transaction for a client from kwara state to buyer’s warehouse in Lagos.
The price of cashew nuts fluctuates almost on weekly basis, so the price of N80, 000 quoted may not be applicable or obtainable always. Price of cashew nuts fluctuated between N68, 000 – N90,000 this 2012 season. Also note that whenever the price of nuts rises, the selling price also rises accordingly.
also note that cost of transportation, produce fee @ ogere and berger can be negotiated. you may get a better bargain from transporters.. N80,000 naira - N100,000 cost could be achieved from ilorin to lagos.
some truck drivers also know how to avoid the fee colectors @ ogere and berger therefore you may end up not paying but you will have to settle the drivers. you also need an escort (not an officer) to follow the truck if you cant travel with the truck. they are usually paid between N5,000 - N10,000.

To order the book and read other free reports pls follow these links (see the table of content also):

https://www.nairaland.com/1090563/comprehensive-textbook-cashew-nuts-trading..now

https://www.nairaland.com/883892/free-report-cashew-nuts-biz

08023881557
07064821943.
bb pin: 30D4CD77

Specifications of processed cashew kernels.

White Wholes
W180
W210
W240
W320
W450
W500 

Scorched Wholes
SW
SW180
SW210
SW240
SW320
SW450
SW500

Dessert Wholes
SSW (Scorched wholes seconds)
DW  ( Dessert wholes)

 Brokens
White pieces
B (Butts)

S (Splits)
LWP(Large white pieces)
SWP(Small white pieces)

BB   (Baby Bits)

Scorched small pieces
SB (Scorched butts)
SS (Scorched splits)
SP (Scorched pieces)
SSP(Scorched small pieces 

Dessert pieces
SPS (Scorched pieces seconds)
DP (Dessert pieces)

Following...

Following.

2015 season loading...

To learn the ABC of export operations, management, documentations, different methods of payment to avoid being duped, check out these links:
http://tectono..com/2014/09/tectono-ventures-presents-contemporary.html

http://tectono..com/2014/09/nigeria-business-review-in-conjunction.html

2015 CROP !!!

Are you an investor or an exporter, then grab this export contract for sesame seed. The company is buying @ USD800 per metric tonne, with LC. Destination is Vietnam,FOB. For details of how to subcsribe to this export contract.
kindly send mail to sales@tradesrunner.com or call 07053944321

Tradesrunner:
Are you an investor or an exporter, then grab this export contract for sesame seed. The company is buying @ USD800 per metric tonne, with LC. Destination is Vietnam,FOB. For details of how to subcsribe to this export contract.
kindly send mail to sales@tradesrunner.com or call 07053944321

tell dem sey even if at $1450 i no sell if not $1600 me no sell

dav8id:


tell dem sey even if at $1450 i no sell if not $1600 me no sell

God bless u my brother. I wonder who will supply a ton of sesame seed for $800. When you cannot even it at that rate from farmers! That price is too ridiculous!
People pls be warned.

2015 season will be flagged off on the 20th of this month.

Cashew nuts trading will be officially flagged off in kogi state today. Commercial activities will commence today.

Happy trading to everyone.

Cashew nuts available for sale.
Call 08023881557
07064821943

DISCOVER HOW TO BE PART OF NIGERIA’S LUCRATIVE MULTIMILLION, IF NOT MULTIBILLION AGRO BUSINESS,

Nigeria has a growing population of over 167,000,000, I mean 167million, a growing population has lots of growing responsibilities in terms feeding
A The people that form the population
B Industries operating in the Population that need food based products
Explanations
Category A Lets do a simple mathematics, lets take #50 as the minimum or benchmark of the amount spent daily on food in Lagos with a population of 5,000,000 (assumption), of a truth Lagos is more than 5million, which means that per day we spend #250,000,000, that is #250million per day, #1.750billion per week and #7billion naira per month. What do these figures tells you?

for full details visit www.agrosupplyriches..com

A comprehensive textbook on cashew nuts trading..
https://www.nairaland.com/1090563/comprehensive-textbook-cashew-nuts-trading..now#12789471

Nigerian cashew farmers announce huge 2015 profit

Some cashew farmers on Sunday said they recorded huge sales and made profits from cashew nuts during the 2015 cashew season.The National Cashew Association of Nigeria, NCAN, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Lagos that the current global market trends showed an increase in demand for cashew.The association’s spokesperson, Sotonye Anga, said that this was due to Good Agricultural Practice and improvement introduced to farmers in 2014.“We are glad to witness the prosperity of cashew farmers in Nigeria. It goes a great deal to show that NCAN is working and in collaboration with government and our development partners.“The current global market trends show an increasing and strong demand for cashew and Nigeria will continue to deliver its quota and remain relevant in the cashew world.

“I therefore, urge our cashew farmers nationwide to be serious with the cashew business and be committed to GAP and quality improvement protocols so as to get the cash in cashew.“It is obvious that local cashew farming and processing holds a great potential for national economic growth, development, employment creation and better income for farmers in rural areas,” he said.According to Mr. Anga, with little more steps to support the sub-sector by the Federal Government, cashew will soon become the number one cash crop in Nigeria.He said, “We hope to do much more for the cashew sector and create more prosperity for our cashew farmers, cashew processors, traders and exporters.’’Mr. Anga said that Africa produced over 50 per cent of the world’s cashew and Nigeria was among the top three largest cashew producers in Africa.
Nigerian cashew farmers announce huge 2015 profit.

He said about 400,000 hectares of land was being used for cashew production across the country.Mr. Anga, however, noted that Nigeria’s annual yield per hectare was low because the nation’s current annual production stood at 150,000 tonnes of raw cashew nuts.He said the association was moving forward by rejuvenating cashew plantations and increasing the area of land under cashew production in Nigeria.He said the recent successes of cashew farmers in some parts of Kogi State had further encouraged the association to continue its drive to empower cashew farmers nationwide.He said cashew farmers were already clearing their farms for the 2016 season.Some cashew farmers in Umoni Village, Ofu Local Government Area in Kogi said on telephone that they were happy with the development as their lives had become better.A cashew farmer, Samuel Haruna, said he was able to roof his family house with the sales he recorded from the 2015 cashew season.Mr. Haruna, who had been in the cashew business for more than 20 years, said he never really made profit from selling raw cashew nuts as much as he made in 2015 season.

“I was able to buy 14 bundles of roofing zinc to roof my family house. I have been involved in cashew farming for 20years and I never had it this good.“This 2015 cashew season was really good for me and for my people, I realised good money from the sale of cashew.“We cashew farmers from Umoni village are very happy; we are pleased with the activities of NCAN and all the efforts at improving cashew farmer’s livelihood.“This year I made good money from my cashew farm for the first time. Not just me but other cashew farmers made good money too,” he said.A 30-year-old cashew farmer, Joel Thomas, said that he bought a jeep from the sale of cashew recently.Another cashew farmer, also from Umoni Village, Ibrahima Sule, said he bought a Toyota car from the sale of cashew in 2015.A 35-year-old, Isaac Idanyi, said he was able to build a four-bedroom flat from the sale of cashew nuts.

2016 season loading..... Pls post your questions, comments and contributions here.

@lomzy. Do you have a confirmed buyer of cashew nuts who is willing an able to pay via LC?. Am interested in this trade.

cousins:
@lomzy. Do you have a confirmed buyer of cashew nuts who is willing an able to pay via LC?. Am interested in this trade.

Yes I do. You can call me for further details. 07064821943

cousins:
@lomzy. Do you have a confirmed buyer of cashew nuts who is willing an able to pay via LC?. Am interested in this trade.

Yes I do. You can call me for further details. 07064821943
.

2016 season loading..

Cashew nuts available for Vietnam and Indian importers...(Ogbomosho spec)...kindly contact +2348077881934, Skype: alarape.lanre2