Nuts about cashews! India emerges largest consumer globally

Skyrocketing demand ■According to INC data, India accounted for 13.5% of global raw cashew production ■Over 60% of the raw material processed by India's cashew industry comes from imports

- RAJESH RAVI @Kochi

INDIANS are munching on cashew nuts like never before. Now, India accounts for more than 30% of the world's processed nuts or kernel consumption. And the demand for nuts, whole or broken, is surging at a phenomenal pace, driven largely by the bakery and snacking industry.

According to the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council (INC), the country's insatiable appetite for cashews touched 3.76 lakh tonnes in 2024, and shows no signs of slowing down. For good measure, the projected annual growth in demand stands at 8%.

"The world now looks to India for growth in the nuts and dry fruits market," INC director Pratap Nair told TNIE.

The Indian middle class has developed a taste for cashew nuts, not just as a snack but also as an ingredient in baked goods and other food items, he says.