By Mwanamkasi Jumbe, Mtwara
Tanzania is gearing up for another promising cashew nut season, with the Tanzania Cashew Board (CBT) confirming that the 2025/26 marketing season will officially kick off on October 31.
This year, the government has set an ambitious production target of 700,000 tonnes, marking a significant rise from the 500,000-tonne target set for the 2024/25 season.
The upward projection follows last season’s impressive performance, where the country surpassed expectations by harvesting 528,000 tonnes of raw cashew nuts.
According to CBT Chairman, retired Brigadier General Aloyce Mwanjile, all systems are in place for a smooth start to the season.
He said that auctions will once again be conducted through the Tanzania Mercantile Exchange (TMX) using an online bidding system – part of ongoing government reforms to ensure transparency, fair pricing, and efficiency in the cashew value chain.
“We expect a competitive and well-coordinated season this year. Over 80 companies have already registered to buy cashew nuts through the TMX platform,” said Brig. Gen. Mwanjile.
Strong performance from farmer cooperatives
Farmer cooperatives in the southern regions – Tanzania’s cashew heartland – are also optimistic.
Mr. Mohamed Nassor, General Manager of the Tandahimba Newala Cooperative Union (TANECU), said the first auction will take place at Mchichira village in Tandahimba District, with a target of collecting 120,000 tonnes from member farmers.
“Last season we exceeded our expectations by collecting 124,000 tonnes against the target of 80,000 tonnes. This year, our farmers are even better prepared,” Nassor noted.
Similarly, Ms. Biadia Matipa, General Manager of the Mtwara, Masasi, and Nanyumbu Cooperative Union (MAMCU), said her union aims to collect 130,000 tonnes this season.
She explained that although MAMCU targeted the same figure last season, it managed to gather 118,000 tonnes due to unfavourable weather conditions and logistical challenges. Their first auction will be conducted at Nanyamba in Mtwara Region.
Cashew sector: A strategic export earner
Cashew nuts remain one of Tanzania’s top non-traditional exports, alongside coffee and tobacco, generating hundreds of millions of dollars annually and supporting the livelihoods of more than 700,000 farming households, mainly in the southern regions of Mtwara, Lindi and Ruvuma.
In the 2024/25 fiscal year, cashew exports contributed significantly to the country’s agricultural foreign exchange earnings, with growing demand from India, Vietnam and the Middle East.
The government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and CBT, continues to invest in research, processing, and farmer support. Efforts include expanding local processing capacity to increase the proportion of value-added exports – a key goal under the Tanzania Development Vision 2050, which prioritises agro-industrialisation.
Investment and value addition drive
Over the past three years, several public and private investments have been made to modernize cashew processing plants and reduce post-harvest losses.
Through collaboration with the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) and development partners, new high-yielding and disease-resistant cashew varieties have been introduced, helping boost productivity.
The government has also been revamping rural road networks and storage infrastructure, ensuring timely delivery of cashews to auction centers and ports.
These logistics improvements, coupled with digital auction systems, have enhanced market efficiency and price stability for farmers.
Looking ahead
With the 2025/26 season set to begin amid optimism, stakeholders are confident that Tanzania’s cashew industry is on track to reclaim its historical status as Africa’s top producer.
Industry analysts note that achieving the 700,000-tonne target will not only boost export revenues but also strengthen rural incomes and support national industrialization goals through expanded value chains. As CBT, TMX, and cooperative unions gear up for the first auctions, all eyes are on southern Tanzania – where the “golden nuts” that drive the nation’s agricultural prosperity are set to flow once again.
