Mtwara — Cashew nut growers in Tandahimba and Newala have expressed their excitement following the surge of cashew nut prices to 4,120/- per kilogramme this year, a notable increase compared to prices offered in previous years.
They said the price is encouraging and that they expect to earn enough in this season. Last season, prices ranged between 1,500/- and 2,190/- per kilogramme.
"This is the first time prices have increased to such record high. We welcome this development as the auctions continue," said Sharifu Linjenje, a cashew grower from Newala District in the Mtwara Region.
The price of raw cashews reached a historic high during the auction of 3,857 tonnes traded through the Tanzania Mercantile Exchange (TMX) online platform.
The cashews were sold at prices ranging from 4,035/-to 4,120/- per kilogramme during the first auction of the 2024/2025 season held on October 11, this year in Newala District.
Ms Rukia Silimu, a cashew grower from Tandahimba District, noted that for several years, farmers sold raw cashews for prices between 1,500/- and 2,500/- per kilogramme, which she described as insufficient compared to production costs.
During the auction, Francis Alfred, Director General of the Cashew Nuts Board of Tanzania (CBT) explained that the price increase at the beginning of the auction season is driven by high global demand and low availability.
He urged farmers and others in the value chain to ensure consistent access to high-quality raw cashews to remain competitive in the global market.
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Research indicates that Tanzanian cashews are highly valued worldwide. Mtwara Regional Commissioner Colonel Patrick Sawala praised the farmers for the promising start to the auction, insisting on the importance of maintaining high-quality standards.
Cashew nuts are the highest foreign currency-earning crop in the country. A total of 37 companies participated in the auction, with 10 companies purchasing all 3,837 tonnes of raw cashews traded by TANECU.
In July, this year, President Samia Suluhu Hassan and her Mozambique counterpart Filipe Nyusi expressed the two countries' determination to forge relations and agreed to form a union of African cashew producers to have a unified voice in the global market.
The leaders made their commitments during a press conference at the State House in Dar es Salaam following bilateral discussions.
President Samia said that the bilateral talks focused on economic issues, emphasising the need for collaboration to enhance their economies.
"We produce cashew nuts, but neither of us controls the global prices," President Samia was quoted as saying during the meeting.
"We agreed to form a union to have a unified voice in the market." She added that when the President of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Embaló, visited Tanzania, she proposed the idea of forming the union and he agreed.
The leaders also agreed on increasing production and adding value to cashews to maximise benefits. President Samia stressed the importance of carrying out research on the crop and unity among producers.
