Cashew nuts aren't the most expensive nut out there, but it's true that they're still on the expensive end of the spectrum. There are several reasons for this. Long processing time, high demand, and truly specific growing conditions add up to a higher cost. One of the reasons cashew nuts are popular around the world is their nutritional value.
Multiple studies praise cashew nuts for their effects, including lowering harmful cholesterol, boosting the immune system, and strengthening muscles and nerves. The health benefits of cashew nuts make them a popular snack even in times of surplus. Why are cashew nuts so expensive? Cashew nuts are very expensive for several reasons. For example, cashew nuts are expensive, since they are imported products.
Secondly, the manufacture and processing of these nuts is dangerous. Finally, demand for these nuts has increased over the years. Many studies recommend consuming cashew nuts, as it promotes a number of health benefits, such as lowering harmful cholesterol, developing a better immune system, and strengthening muscles and nerves. It can cause burns, itching, and blisters, so raw cashews are considered dangerous to eat or touch.
Roasting cashew nuts to destroy toxins is also dangerous, as toxins are released into the air. The whole process is labor intensive and dangerous, which helps explain part of why cashew nuts are so expensive. On the positive side, the report notes, West African countries are stepping up their efforts to create larger cashew nut processing facilities; however, it will likely take years of those efforts before buyers receive lower prices. Healthy eating trends are key to driving demand, along with the versatility of the cashew nut itself, another reason why walnuts remain so valuable.
Since cashews offer several health benefits, it's no wonder why they've become more popular over the years. To further complicate matters, it takes two to three months for a cashew nut to produce a cashew seed (also known as cashew nuts) suitable for consumption. Vietnam, on the other hand, was one of the first countries to invest in automation, making it a key location for processing cashew nuts. While Sri Lanka processes and sells many of its own cashew nuts in the country, other countries export much of what they grow.
Cashew nuts are expensive because they are difficult to harvest without breaking the nut into cashew pieces (a break along) or cigarette butts (a cut in half). In addition, repeated exposure to cashew nut shell oil will destroy protective equipment, which must be replaced by worker safety. The council explains that a single nut grows stuck to the bottom of a fruit called a cashew apple, which grows for two to three months and, although the juice and pulp of the fruit are edible, the nut shell contains a caustic liquid. In contrast, cashew nuts grow in a shell filled with a caustic liquid that can cause serious damage to human skin.
With a limited supply of cashew nuts and a high demand for them, the price of cashew nuts gradually increased over time. Whether used as a snack, pasta for cooking, or as an alternative to milk or butter, cashew nuts have many applications around the world.
