Cashewnut Processing

India was the first country to hit the world market with cashew kernels and it was she who pioneered cashew processing as an industry.

India is the largest producer,processor and exporter of cashews in the world.

The raw cashew nuts collected from the growing areas are moved to the factories for processing.. It is ensured that the raw nuts are thoroughly cleaned and are free from all foreign matter before they are taken for processing. The processing of cashew is done by any of the four methods -- Sun Drying, Drum Roasting, Oil Bath Roasting and Steam Cooking.

Sun Drying

The raw cashew nuts are simply dried in the sun for a few days and shelled with out temp.

Drum Roasting

In Drum Roasting, the nuts are heated at high temperature is a rotating drum and then shelled.

Oil Bath Roasting

In this method, the nuts get roasted in a bath or cashew shell liquid and also the cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) is extracted.

Steaming

It is another improved method adopted in Cashew processing. The nuts are steamed so as to make the shell soft and then cut open to get the kernel.

The roasted /steamed rawnuts are opened by cutting or by using mallets and the testa is then removed after drying in a borma. The peeled kernels are then graded by size, shape and colour and packed for exports.