In W39 in the cashew landscape, in the first nine months of 2023, Vietnam's agricultural, forestry, and fishery product exports reached USD 38.48 billion, while imports totaled USD 30.44 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of USD 8.04 billion, a 22.5% increase compared to the same period in 2022. In Sep-23, exports of these products amounted to USD 4.8 billion, marking a 22% increase from Sep-22. While several key export products experienced decreased values, the agricultural product group performed well, reaching USD 19.54 billion, a 16.7% increase due to contributions from cashew nuts, vegetables, rice, and coffee, with the fruit and vegetable group notably increasing by 71.8%.
Furthermore, in Aug-23, Vietnam's cashew nut exports surged to a record high of 60.05 thousand tons, valued at USD 333.8 million, marking a 10.8% increase in volume and a 9.7% increase in value compared to Jul-23. For the first eight months of 2023, Vietnam exported nearly 395.60 thousand tons of cashew nuts, worth USD 2.28 billion, a 15.5% increase in volume and an 11.3% increase in value compared to the same period in 2022.
Vietnam has maintained its position as the world's leading cashew exporter for 16 consecutive years, accounting for 80% of global cashew output. The United States (US) and China continue to be the largest customers, constituting 41.8% of total cashew export turnover. Cashew exports to the US reached 103.69 thousand tons, valued at USD 591.7 million, while exports to China amounted to 57.82 thousand tons, earning USD 360.7 million. In addition, cashew exports to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia experienced substantial growth, increasing by 46.6% and 40.1%, respectively, compared to the same period in 2022. Cashew nut exports to major markets like the Netherlands, Germany, and the UK also grew. Experts anticipate that Vietnam's cashew exports will continue to rise in the latter part of 2023, driven by cyclical factors and increased demand from the US and European Union (EU) markets.
Lastly, Mozambique is experiencing a significant increase in cashew nut exports, with the first two quarters of 2023 surpassing the country's best year of cashew nut sales since 2016. In Q1 2023, Mozambique exported USD 50.8 million worth of cashews, followed by another USD 2.2 million in Q2-2023, representing a notable improvement from previous years, with cashew sales ranging from USD 14.8 million in 2018 to USD 51.7 million in 2022. Cashew exports contribute significantly to Mozambique's agricultural revenue, with the country collecting USD 51.7 million from cashew exports in 2022 as part of a total agricultural revenue of USD 562.3 million.