<p></p><p>The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Vietnam Cashew Association recently organised the International Cashew Conference in 2014 in Vung Tau City, Ba Ria - Vung Tau province. The event drew the attendance of more than 250 export cashew nut processors from more than 40 countries around the world.</p> <p>According to industry experts, Vietnam’s expansion of cashew nut markets will face up with enormous difficulties due to stiff competition. Without proper investment for quality improvement and processing capacity, Vietnamese products will be placed on heavier pressures. </p><p>In the current context, shifting from low-end mass production to high-quality manufacturing will help Vietnam's cashew industry to penetrate into difficult markets and earn more profits. In 2013, Vietnam exported over 261,000 tonnes worth US$1.65 billion, up nearly 18 percent in volume and approximately 12 percent in value over 2012. In 2014, with focused investment for expansion, the cashew is expected to attain US$2.2 billion of export turnover. The value of downstream processed cashew nuts is hoped to be increased from 8 percent to over 10 percent. </p><p> </p><br><p></p>