After achieving an export value of $5 billion for the first time in 2025, Vietnam's cashew industry aims to maintain this result in 2026 with an export volume of approximately 800,000 tons of cashew kernels, amidst the still volatile global market. According to the Vietnam Cashew Association, 2025 marks a significant milestone as the cashew industry achieves an export turnover of 5 billion USD for the first time. Based on this result, the industry continues to set a target of exporting approximately 800,000 tons of cashew kernels in 2026, with a turnover equivalent to the previous year. The export market faces many uncertainties. According to the association's assessment, cashew trading this year may be affected by fluctuations in the global economy and geopolitics. Tensions in some regions such as Eastern Europe and the Middle East could impact logistics and consumer demand in importing markets. Currently, the Middle East accounts for approximately 10–12% of global cashew consumption, so fluctuations in this region could have a significant impact on the export market. Furthermore, disputes related to international contracts and payment methods in cashew transactions continue to arise. According to the Vietnam Cashew Association, many cases have to be handled through the association's trade dispute resolution mechanism due to the complex nature of international contracts. In this context, businesses are advised to strengthen risk control in transactions, especially in choosing appropriate payment methods and contract terms. Vietnam's cashew industry aims to maintain exports at $5 billion USD in 2026. Increased competition from producing countries. Alongside market fluctuations, the Vietnamese cashew industry is also facing increasing competitive pressure as many cashew-producing countries, especially in Africa, are stepping up investment in domestic processing. The development of processing industries in cashew-producing countries helps them increase export value while reducing the amount of raw cashews exported to international markets. This could affect the raw material supply for processing businesses in Vietnam – a country that remains a major cashew processing center in the world. In light of this trend, businesses in the industry are advised to expand export markets and increase investment in deeply processed products to enhance added value and competitiveness. The supply of raw materials is expected to remain stable. At the conference, the issue of rising raw cashew prices in recent times was also of concern to many businesses. Before the Lunar New Year, the price of raw cashews on the market at one point increased to about 2,000 USD/ton. According to data from the Vietnam Cashew Association, global raw cashew production in 2026 is expected to reach approximately 5 million tons, equivalent to 2025. Cambodia continues to be one of the major suppliers with an annual output of over 1 million tons. Over the past 10 years, global raw cashew production has increased significantly, from approximately 3.3–3.4 million tons to over 5 million tons currently. This indicates that the supply of raw materials on the world market remains relatively stable. However, importing raw cashews for domestic processing plants may face some difficulties because many producing countries are prioritizing raw materials for domestic processing, while also implementing additional policies on taxes and minimum export prices. According to industry assessments, the supply of raw materials in the first quarter and early second quarter of 2026 may not be truly abundant. However, as the main harvesting season approaches, the supply is expected to improve, contributing to stabilizing raw cashew prices in the market.