Cashew production benefits and opportunities in Ethiopia: A Review

Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) is among the major edible nuts with increasing demand in the global market.The tree is native to Brazil and first introduced to India and Africa in the 16 th century by Portuguese traders with the intention of afforestation and soil conservation, and gradually expanded throughout the world.Today, it has been widely grown mainly for its nuts to be used as food, medicine, and source of income in most tropical regions with the largest coverage found in Brazil, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, and several countries in West and East Africa.The increasing demand for raw cashew nut from processors has made the crop to be the major source of foreign exchange in most developing countries.However, despite the huge potential to produce Cashew in Ethiopia, only little is known about its current production, potential benefits, and opportunities in Ethiopia, mainly due to lack of knowledge and awareness.Hence, this paper provides an overview of cashew uses, available opportunities for its production in Ethiopia and the way forward.