Cashew processors and exporters in India are worried about the sharp increase in fraudulent imports of cashew kernels. India produces 6-7 million tonne of raw cashews per year and until recently was the leading exporter of kernels to the global markets.
“The surge in illegal imports of cashew kernels in India has added to the woes of the crisis-hit cashew industry. Large-scale imports of low-quality kernels from competing countries have literally pushed the industry to the verge of a closure. If this practice is allowed to continue, it would lead to the total collapse of the cashew industry in India, said the chairman of the Cashew Export Promotion Council of India (CEPCI).