ACC Attended the 7th International Cashew Convention

On 22-23 November 2015, the 7th International Cashew Convention, themed on “Clean and Green Products”, was held in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. The Convention was organized by Viet Nam Cashew Association (VINACAS) and was co-organized by the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Viet Nam. Mr. Arie Endenduk, Chairman of Global Cashew Council (GCC), Mr. Goretti Guasch, Vice President of International Nut and Dried Fruit Council (INC), Mme. Do Thi Ngoc Diep, Director of Viet Nam Nutrition Association, Mr. Babatola Faseru, Vice President of Africa  Cashew Alliance (ACA), a representative of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) and members of China Chamber of Commerce of Imp & Exp of Foodstuffs, Native Produce and Animal By-products (CFNA), as well as 330 participants of cashew producers, traders and organizations attended the Convention.

Mr. Arie Endenduk gave remarks on the overview and prospects of cashew industry, market analysis of the producers and consumers, missions of the Council, and the future  development of their members. Mr. Goretti Guasch briefed on the daily work of INC and analyzed on the functions of every link in the value chain and their influence over each other. He suggested using competition and cooperation properly through the value chain, strengthening coordination and communication, planning out for training programs, and completing market system and value chain, in order to realize sustainable development goals. Mme. Do Thi Ngoc Diep talked about the production, processing and export of Vietnamese cashew, and called for improved cooperation and more advanced technologies. Mr. Babatola Faseru gave the audience an introduction of African cashew industry and the future of the Alliance. He called on all the countries to support African cashew and help the country upgrading its processing technologies to the international level. He also analyzed the challenges faced by cashew industry.

At the Convention, the participants visited cashew processors in Viet Nam, attended the Seminar on “Cashew Processing Technology” and took part in matchmaking between Vietnamese cashew producers and importers and traders from all over the world. ACC trade and investment official had an active interaction with Mr. Arie Endenduk,  Mr. Goretti Guasch,  Mr. Nguyen Duc Thanh, President of VINACAS and Mr. Dang Hoang Giang, Vice President of VINACAS, sharing the functions and activities of the ACC and introduced the Chinese delegates as well as their business of importing Vietnamese cashew products. VINACAS expressed their wishes to start connection and communications with ACC and to make more contribution to the bilateral trade and investment.

The production of world cashew is around 650,000 tons, mainly from ASEAN countries. Viet Nam has ranked the first for ten consecutive years, accounting for 75% of ASEAN's total production. One third of Vietnamese cashew is exported to China.