Vice President of Dong Nai Cashew Association Nguyen Hoang Dat: Enhancing the value of Vietnam's cashew capital

Vice President of Dong Nai Cashew Association Nguyen Hoang Dat.

According to Vice Chairman of Dong Nai Cashew Association Nguyen Hoang Dat, after the merger, Dong Nai has the opportunity to elevate the cashew capital of Vietnam to new heights with many advantages such as: increasing the area of ​​crops, increasing the proportion of cashew exports (XK) and increasing the quality of local cashew nuts. To maintain the top position in the country in cashew exports, with the support from provincial leaders, relevant departments and branches, Dong Nai Cashew Association will have strategies to improve the quality of local raw materials, creating close links between farmers, scientists , the State and businesses; in which, focusing on the factor of raw materials to ensure production processes according to export criteria.

World's No. 1 Cashew Brand

Can you share a little about Dong Nai cashew brand in recent years as well as in the current situation?

- Before the merger, the old Binh Phuoc province was the cashew growing capital of Vietnam with an area of ​​over 148 thousand hectares, accounting for nearly 50% of the country's cashew export output. With the typical quality of cashew nuts, in 2018, cashew products of the old Binh Phuoc were granted geographical indications. This shows that cashew nuts of the old Binh Phuoc have a position in the international market.

From the initial position, after the merger, Dong Nai cashew industry has become stronger with more advantages in cashew growing area. In exporting and importing raw cashew nuts, businesses also have more opportunities when Dong Nai province has a new system of seaports and customs gates that develop synchronously, contributing to increasing the export turnover of raw cashew nuts in the locality.

Currently, Dong Nai's cashew products are quite diverse. Many products meet OCOP standards (One Commune One Product Program) from 3-5 stars, ensuring export criteria. In particular, after being granted geographical indications by the province, cashew products meeting OCOP standards have created advantages in the market, easily convincing customers, avoiding the current situation of counterfeit and fake goods.

According to you, after the merger, what are the advantages and difficulties of the province's cashew industry?

- The old Dong Nai province has long been one of the leading provinces and cities in the country in industrial development, attracting many investment projects in various fields. In particular, with the seaport system and other transportation advantages, after the province is merged, the economic value of the new Dong Nai province will increase.

For the cashew industry, this will be an opportunity for people, businesses and local authorities to continue to develop acreage, increase output of processed cashew materials, improve quality to continue affirming the world's No. 1 cashew brand of Vietnam and No. 1 in Vietnam of Dong Nai province.

Dong Nai has a variety of goods distribution channels, businesses expect to have preferential policies on capital and opportunities for market development. Especially, convenient traffic infrastructure creates conditions for businesses to connect and trade with international markets.

How has the situation of cashew nut export and import of Vietnam in general and Dong Nai in particular been recently, sir?

- Vietnam is currently ranked number 1 in the world in cashew exports. On average, Vietnam exports 3-4 million tons each year with a total export value of more than 4 billion USD, of which Dong Nai province (mainly in the old Binh Phuoc) accounts for 50%.

Although during the harvest season, businesses have collected more cashew nuts from Gia Lai, Dak Lak, etc., but it can only meet the production needs of businesses for about 2 months. In the remaining months, businesses have to import raw cashew nuts from Cambodia, African countries, etc. for production and export.

In the process of importing raw cashew nuts, businesses encountered some difficulties and problems related to packaging to prove the origin of goods, although the shipments met the criteria for export and import declarations. However, with the close attention of provincial leaders and functional agencies, the problems were resolved, creating favorable conditions for businesses in exporting and importing raw cashew nuts.

Dong Nai province currently has more than 1,400 cashew processing enterprises. Of these, about 10 enterprises conduct deep processing and meet export criteria.

Raising the value of Dong Nai cashew nuts

According to you, in the production and business process, what limitations do businesses and farmers have that need to be overcome?

- For a long time, most cashew processing enterprises have not paid attention to packaging, labeling, and registering food hygiene and safety standards. Especially enterprises producing goods for domestic consumption.

In particular, recently, the government has begun to have policies to manage businesses in various fields, including tightening the issue of stamps, labels, origins, etc. I think it is time for businesses, whether small or large, to pay attention to this issue. Goods produced for the domestic market also need to meet the criteria of labels, production processes, food safety and hygiene certification, etc.

Cashew sorting at Ha My Company Limited (Dong Phu commune, Dong Nai province). Photo: Truong Hien

What advice do you have for the cashew business community in Dong Nai province today?

- As we know, Resolution No. 68-NQ/TW of the Politburo on private economic development is the driving force to encourage business development. Therefore, businesses hope that relevant agencies and functional units, in the spirit of Resolution 68, will support local businesses, reform administrative procedures, and help businesses facilitate production, business, and export.

For businesses and farmers in the cashew industry, I think: There is a great need for closer coordination between farmers - the State - scientists and businesses to ensure the production process, improve the quality of cashew nuts, and together create a supply chain in the cashew industry. I hope that in the future, there will no longer be a situation where farmers replace cashew trees. It is even necessary to increase the area of ​​cashew trees to meet Vietnam's cashew export demand.

Currently, the price of imported cashew nuts is not higher than the price of domestic cashew nuts. However, the loss rate during the processing of imported cashew nuts is lower than that of domestic cashew nuts due to more stable preservation quality, ensuring production processes right from the garden. Meanwhile, Vietnamese cashew nuts do not have a closed production process, not ensuring input quality for export processing enterprises.

In addition, some African countries have now produced their own cashew nuts, so they prioritize choosing the best raw cashew nuts to produce in their own countries. Therefore, the quality of raw cashew nuts imported to Vietnam has begun to decline. I hope that in the coming time, businesses and cashew farmers will maintain and increase the cashew growing area, contributing to the Vietnamese cashew industry to continue to maintain its number 1 position in the world.

Thank you!

Ngoc Lien (performed)

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/kinh-te/202508/pho-chu-tich-hoi-dieu-dong-nai-nguyen-hoang-dat-nang-tam-gia-tri-cho-thu-phu-dieu-cua-viet-nam-21219cc/