• East Africa processed 38,500 tons of cashews in 2025, up 5%
• Tanzania led growth, processing 20,000 tons, 52% regional share
• Processing capacity remains underused despite rising harvests and investment plans

Processed cashew nut stocks across East Africa’s producing countries reached 38,500 tons in 2025, according to preliminary estimates from independent market advisory service N’kalô. In a report on the African raw materials market published Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, the firm said this represents a 5% increase from the previous year.

The rise was largely driven by Tanzania, the only country in the region where processing expanded. In 2025, the Tanzanian sector processed 20,000 tons of cashew nuts, its highest level in five years. The volume rose 67% year on year and accounted for 52% of all processed cashews in East Africa.

The rebound reflects improved availability of raw nuts on the domestic market. For the 2025/2026 season, Tanzanian authorities are targeting a record harvest of 700,000 tons.

Mozambique followed, processing 15,000 tons of cashew nuts in 2025, down 28% from the previous year. Kenya and Madagascar recorded 2,500 tons and 1,000 tons respectively, both broadly unchanged.

Untapped processing potential

Despite the progress recorded in 2025, N’kalô’s data suggest that cashew processing capacity in East Africa remains largely untapped.

According to the firm’s bulletin, regional processing volumes fell by 43% over five years, declining from 62,750 tons in 2020 to 35,500 tons in 2024. The drop is mainly linked to the decline of Mozambique’s processing sector, which previously played a leading role in the region. For comparison, Mozambique processed 40,000 tons of cashew nuts in 2020.

More broadly, the factors behind the slowdown vary by country. In Kenya, the low level of processing is largely due to insufficient raw nut supply. Official data show the national harvest reached only 7,803 tons in 2024, while the sector’s installed processing capacity is estimated at 45,000 tons. In response, the Ministry of Agriculture announced a recovery plan for the sector on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026.

In Tanzania, the main challenge is insufficient investment in processing capacity. To address this, the government launched in 2023 the construction of an agro-industrial park dedicated to cashews in Maranje, in the Mtwara region, in partnership with Arise. The project aims to develop processing plants with a combined capacity of up to 600,000 tons.