Cashew nut production is one of the largest sources of income in the province of Inhambane, providing a livelihood for thousands of families and making an important contribution to the local economy. However, small-scale processors face a number of challenges, which go beyond the weather conditions. Excessive taxes and bureaucracy are undermining the sector and driving away new investors. One of the main points of criticism raised by small-scale processors during a provincial meeting of the sector was the requirement to register in each district where cashew nuts are purchased. This procedure, accompanied by the payment of fees considered disproportionate, substantially increases operating costs. According to the processors, registration should be a single procedure and carried out at provincial level. This way, the buyer would only need to present themselves as registered when they arrive in the district. However, current legislation requires that each entry into a new district be preceded by a new registration and the corresponding payment fee, even if the process has already been carried out in another location. As a result, processors complain: “Imagine that I want to buy [nuts] in three different districts. I have to register and pay fees in each of them. This increases costs and complicates logistics. A single registration, valid for the entire province, would save time and money,” one processor told ‘O País’. This process not only makes the business environment more hostile for small processors, but also creates a barrier for new operators, who often give up due to the bureaucracy. The situation is aggravated by adverse weather conditions. The rainy season presents additional challenges, since humidity directly affects the quality of the nut. “With the rain, the nut absorbs moisture and loses the quality that the market demands. This is a problem for the national market and, especially, for the international market. In the end, we end up receiving less for the product,” lamented another processor. The loss of quality caused by humidity reduces the commercial value of the product and affects the income of families involved in cashew production and processing. The representative of the National Almond Institute in Inhambane (IAM) acknowledged that the problems highlighted are real and explained that the requirement for multiple registrations is stipulated in current legislation. However, the cashew law regulations are currently under review, and there is an expectation that this issue will be resolved soon. “We know that this is a point of great concern for processors. We hope that the review of the regulations will bring greater simplicity and relief to operators in the sector,” said the IAM representative in Inhambane. Inhambane is one of the most important provinces for cashew production in Mozambique. In the 2024-2025 agricultural campaign, the province sold more than 11,000 tons of nuts, generating revenues of more than 36 million meticais. Despite these promising figures, the province’s dependence on cashew also exposes it to challenges such as climate change, pests and market fluctuations. Problems such as cochineal have affected 30% of the plantations treated in the current campaign, while heavy rains and winds have affected the fruiting of trees. The revision of the cashew law is seen as a golden opportunity to reverse the current situation. Among the main proposals are CREATING a single registration system at provincial level, eliminating the need for multiple district registrations and adjusting the amounts of fees to ensure that they are not disproportionate to the profit margins of small processors. Other measures include encouraging the creation of local processing units, such as the one planned for Massinga, with the capacity to process 50 tons per day. These projects promise not only to add value to local production, but also to create new jobs and improve the competitiveness of Mozambican cashew nuts in international markets. The cashew industry is vital to Inhambane’s economy, but it faces significant challenges that require urgent, coordinated action. While the revised cashew law regulation offers hope, small-scale processors continue to struggle against a system they consider unfair and inefficient. Bureaucratic simplification and investment in infrastructure are essential to revitalizing the sector and ensuring that cashews continue to be a source of wealth and livelihood for thousands of families in Inhambane and across the country.