Top Cashew-Producing Countries: Quality & Flavor Differences 2025

Cashews are grown in tropical regions, with Ivory Coast, India, and Vietnam leading production in 2025, each offering unique qualities. Quality is often judged by size, with larger cashews like India’s W-180 grade (the “King of Cashews”) being premium and more expensive, ideal for high-end products. Color and texture matter too—golden-brown, firm cashews are preferred. India’s hand-shelled cashews, especially from Goa, are renowned for their integrity, while Vietnam’s mechanized processing ensures uniformity.

Flavor differences are less clear-cut, with processing like roasting playing a bigger role than origin. Roasted cashews have a richer, nuttier taste compared to raw ones, thanks to the Maillard reaction. Some say Indian or Brazilian cashews might be sweeter, but this is anecdotal, and growing conditions (terroir) likely have a minor impact, not widely documented.

Cashews, those creamy, kidney-shaped nuts beloved worldwide, are more than just a snack, they’re a global commodity with a rich production landscape. This article delves into the countries that produce cashews, focusing on the differences in quality and flavor, offering an exploration for readers seeking detailed insights. With production data from 2025 and insights into grading standards, we’ll uncover what makes cashews from Ivory Coast, India, Vietnam, and beyond stand out.

Top Cashew-Producing Countries in 2025

Cashews thrive in tropical climates, and the latest figures from 2025 highlight the leading producers. Ivory Coast tops the list with over 1 million tonnes annually, making it the largest producer globally, known for its high-quality raw cashew nuts

. India follows with around 782,000 tonnes in 2023, not only a major producer but also the largest consumer, using cashews extensively in its cuisine

. Vietnam, producing 347,634 tonnes annually, is the world’s top exporter of processed cashews, shipping over 730,000 tonnes in 2024, per The Investor, thanks to advanced processing techniques

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Other notable producers include Indonesia (164,152 tonnes in 2023), the Philippines (136,264 tonnes), and Brazil, each contributing to the global supply chain. These countries’ production levels reflect their tropical climates, ideal for cashew trees, with annual rainfall between 1,000–2,000 mm and well-drained, sandy loam soils, as noted by Agrisung.

Quality Differences: Grading and Standards

Quality is a critical factor in the cashew market, assessed through grading systems that vary by country. Cashews are graded based on size, color, texture, and processing, with larger nuts generally considered premium and more expensive. Here’s a breakdown by key producers:

• India: India has a detailed grading system with 33 grades, though only 26 are used in commercial trade, as outlined by the Cashew Export Promotion Council of India (CEPC)

  . The highest grade, W-180, is known as the “King of Cashews,” with 160–180 nuts per pound, large in size, and very expensive, often used for salted or honey-roasted cashews. Goan cashews, in particular, are celebrated for their excellent quality, size, taste, and appearance, with hand-shelled processing preserving integrity and reducing broken pieces. Other grades include W-210 (Jumbo, slightly smaller), W-240 (standard size, mid-range), W-320 (most widely sold, affordable), and W-450 (smallest, lowest price).

• Brazil: Brazil classifies its cashews into W1, W2, W3, and W4, with W1 being the highest quality. Brazilian cashews are often praised for their rich flavor and are used in a variety of culinary applications, including sweets and alcoholic beverages like cachaça mixed with cashew fruit juice

  . While specific grading details are less documented, Brazil’s cashews are noted for their traditional cultivation, with smaller-scale production compared to Asia.

• Vietnam: Vietnam’s grading system is less detailed in public sources, but the country is known for high-quality processed cashews, thanks to mechanized processing that ensures uniformity and consistency. Vietnam’s cashews are often exported as roasted or salted, with a focus on meeting international standards like those of UNECE and AFI.

• International Standards: The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) classifies cashews into Extra Class (white, pale ivory, pale ash-grey, light yellow), Class I (light brown, light ivory, etc., lightly blemished), and Class II (light brown, amber, deep brown, discolored, etc.), focusing on color and blemishes.

• The Association of Food Industries (AFI) in New York has a similar system, with First Quality (fancy, uniform, white, light yellow), Second Quality (scorched, yellow, light brown), and so on, down to Dessert (scraped, deeply scorched, blemished).

Quality is also influenced by processing methods. Hand-shelled cashews, common in India, retain more natural oils and integrity, while mechanized processing in Vietnam may result in more uniform but potentially less nuanced products. Color is another indicator: roasted cashews with a golden-brown hue are preferred for flavor, while pale or overly dark nuts may suggest poor processing.

Flavor Differences: Processing vs. Origin

Flavor is a more complex aspect, with processing playing a larger role than origin. Here’s what the evidence suggests:

• Raw vs. Roasted: Raw cashews have a mild, buttery flavor, while roasted cashews have a richer, nuttier taste due to the Maillard reaction, a chemical process that occurs when amino acids and reducing sugars are exposed to heat

  . Roasting enhances the natural oils in the cashew, bringing out a deeper, more complex flavor, often preferred for snacking.

• Subtle Regional Differences: While growing conditions, or “terroir,” can subtly influence flavor, these differences are not widely documented or as pronounced as in other foods like wine or coffee. Some enthusiasts claim that Indian cashews, particularly from Goa, have a sweeter taste, and Brazilian cashews might also lean sweeter, but this is largely anecdotal

  . The Fake Food Free blog mentions cashew juice from Brazil having a sweet flavor with richness resembling the nut, but this is about the apple, not the nut itself

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• Processing Impact: The way cashews are processed, whether hand-shelled or mechanized, can affect flavor. Hand-shelled cashews may retain more natural oils, potentially preserving a fresher taste, while mechanized processing might result in a more uniform but less nuanced flavor. Roasting methods also vary, with dry-roasted cashews offering a different taste compared to oil-roasted ones, impacting the final flavor profile.

Ultimately, while there may be slight flavor variations based on origin, the evidence leans toward processing methods, especially roasting, as the primary flavor influencer. This makes it challenging to pinpoint country-specific flavor profiles, but regions like Goa in India are noted for their cashews’ taste, likely due to a combination of processing and local growing conditions.

Table: Summary of Cashew Production, Quality, and Flavor by Country

Country	Production (2023/2025, tonnes)	Quality Notes	Flavor Notes
Ivory Coast	>1,000,000 (2025 est.)	High volume, high-quality raw nuts, praised for size and freshness	Subtle, processing-driven flavor, possibly rich due to roasting
India	782,000 (2023)	Detailed grading (W-180 premium), Goan cashews renowned for taste, size	Possibly sweeter, especially Goa, processing key (roasting enhances)
Vietnam	347,634 (2023)	High-quality processed, uniform, mechanized processing	Richer when roasted, standard, processing-focused
Brazil	Notable, exact TBD	Traditional, W1 highest quality, rich flavor noted	Potentially sweeter, anecdotal, processing impacts taste
Indonesia	164,152 (2023)	Quality information not detailed	Likely similar, processing key
Philippines	136,264 (2023)	Quality information not detailed	Likely similar, processing key

This table summarizes the landscape, showing how production, quality, and flavor intertwine, with processing often overshadowing origin-based differences.

Why These Differences Matter

Understanding the differences in quality and flavor can help consumers and businesses make informed choices. For premium, large cashews, look for W-180 from India, particularly from Goa, ideal for high-end products. For processed cashews, Vietnam’s exports are a reliable choice, offering consistency for bulk purchases. If you’re interested in raw cashews for cooking or blending, Ivory Coast’s raw cashew nuts are renowned for their size and freshness, often used in dairy alternatives or snacks.

The cashew industry also faces challenges in sustainability and ethics, influencing consumer choices. Fair trade certifications ensure farmers receive fair wages and workers are treated ethically, with significant production in India and Vietnam

. Labor conditions, especially in shelling, can be hazardous due to the toxic cashew shell oil, anacardic acid, requiring careful processing to eliminate it before consumption.

Cashews are a global commodity with a diverse production landscape, from the vast fields of Ivory Coast to the meticulous processing in Vietnam and the premium grades of India. Quality varies by size, with larger cashews like W-180 from India considered premium, and flavor is largely influenced by processing, particularly roasting, with subtle regional differences possibly due to terroir. Whether you’re a cashew connoisseur or just starting to explore, understanding these differences can enhance your appreciation. Next time you reach for a handful, consider where they come from and how they were processed, you might just taste the difference.