<p></p><p>The Vietnam Cashew Association (Vinacas) has called on local enterprises to add more value to their cashew products to help Vietnam stay on as the world’s biggest cashew nut exporter. <br></p> <p>Vietnam has been the world’s No. 1 cashew nut exporter over the past 10 years but 90% of domestically-processed products are packaged nuts, Vinacas said at an international conference on cashew business in HCMC on Monday. <br></p> <p>At the conference, representatives of cashew enterprises painted a bleak picture for cashew exporters, saying that if cashew products are not added with more value, export growth would be affected. <br></p> <p>Vinacas said a number of local firms have invested in modern technology and machines to make more value-added cashew products for export and domestic consumption. <br></p> <p>The change was seen through cashew products on show on the sidelines of the conference. Unlike in previous years in which companies mainly made salty and honey cashew nuts, the exhibits this year included wasabi- and chocolate-coated cashew nuts; cashew nut cakes, pizzas, banh tet (Vietnam’s cylindrical glutinous rice cake filled with green bean paste and pork) and other foods with cashew nuts. <br></p> <p>Vinacas chairman Nguyen Duc Thanh called for cashew businesses to pay due attention to packaging and marketing if they want to attract more consumers on the domestic market.</p> <p>Over the years, enterprises in the sector have centered more on export of packaged cashew nuts than domestic marketing. Therefore, they should draw up marketing and promotion strategies if they want to ramp up domestic sales.</p> <p>A long return on investment is one of the hindrances to cashew enterprises that turn out value-added products for sale at local supermarkets and convenience stores. To cope with this, a number of producers have managed to boost exports to have funds for expanding domestic market share. <br></p> <p>The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development expects value-added products will make up 20% of total processed cashew nuts, according to a master zoning development plan for the sector until 2020 with a vision towards 2030, approved by the ministry in February this year. The aim for 2030 will be 40-50%. <br></p> <p>*** Vietnam earned US$1.97 billion from shipping abroad 272,000 tons of cashew nuts in the first 10 months this year, up 6% in volume and more than 18% in value, according to the ministry.</p> <p>Dang Hoang Giang, vice chairman of Vinacas, said Vietnam’s cashew nut revenue is forecast to reach a record high of US$2.5 billion this year.</p> <p>Vietnam has exported cashew nuts to 50 markets, according to Vinacas.<br></p><p></p>