Speaking at the African Cashew Alliance (ACA) Global Markets Meeting with Jim Fitzpatrick on Wednesday, November 9, 2022, he opined that if African processors continue to process quality kernels and commit to meet supply contracts, the industry will grow. According to him, African processors are currently doing a good job in terms of kernel quality, but they need to be more committed to respecting agreements with buyers and not delaying shipments. This, he believes, will boost their credibility in the almond market and increase their market share. “For us when we look at the reports we get from our customers then we say quality and commitment. These are the crucial factors you need in the long run. If you are an African processor make sure you deliver the agreed quality and that you are committed to the contract that you have put in place. When you want to build a market, you have to make sure that you are reliable in everything that you have agreed on," he said. "I think the African industry is doing a great job in terms of quality. The quality of African cashew kernels is most of the time highly valued. But I think it is crucial to do what we are committed, to do what you say. And our advice to African industry is also to make sure that you have a market for whatever you process, because sometimes that's a bit of a problem when you're talking to African processors. Most European countries are introducing and strengthening existing food safety laws to protect the consumer. Sustainability and traceability issues have therefore become major talking points in cashew processing in recent years. Mr. Blokland believes these new laws will “promote cashew processing in Africa in a big way.†As people become more aware of issues such as traceability, sustainability and specific origins, he believes the time has come for local African processors to prove themselves by delivering consistent quality. “One of the problems with the African industry is that they have to finance their crops for the whole year, which is sometimes a little more expensive. I think the big advantage is that their traceability system is good. For example, you're talking about a factory in Burkina Faso. They buy everything in Burkina Faso, and they know the region they're buying from. And that's become more and more important in the industry as well," he said. underline. "We advise our customers that the quality of Africa is consistent, that it is good, that it is beautiful, that it is white; and the industry will have to prove itself in this area, it will have to maintain this "When you talk about demand in general, everyone is convinced of India. African industry has to prove itself by delivering good products and consistent quality," he said. The African cashew industry has grown significantly over the past two decades, steadily producing around 60% of the world's cashews. While local processing remains weak, the subsector is experiencing some growth in countries such as Côte d'Ivoire and Nigeria. Many cashew value chain experts believe that given Africa's strategic advantage in cashew production, quality, traceability and sustainability, and its geographical proximity to Europe and America compared to Vietnam, the main processor of cashew nuts, with the right policy environment and investments, Africa can significantly increase local processing of cashew nuts, increase its share of the almond market and create more jobs.