Vietnam cashew exports totaled 375,959 tonnes during the first half of 2026, an increase of 5.96% compared with the same period last year. Export turnover rose faster than volume, increasing by 8.47% to USD 2.62 billion, while the average export value reached USD 6,938 per tonne. This followed the developments recorded in Cornhouse’s previous Vietnam cashew market update.

China became Vietnam’s largest individual export destination during the period, moving ahead of the United States. Meanwhile, Vietnam’s imports of raw cashew nuts remained higher over the first half as a whole, despite falling year on year in both May and June.

Chart showing Vietnam’s monthly cashew-kernel export volume and turnover from January to June 2026. — Vietnam’s cashew-kernel export volumes remained strong during the second quarter of 2026, reaching 78,088 tonnes in June.

Vietnam cashew exports remain strong in June

Vietnam exported 78,088 tonnes of cashew kernels in June, up 8.52% from June 2025. Export turnover increased by 12.17% to USD 550.9 million, while the average export value rose by 3.36% to USD 7,055 per tonne.

June was the second-largest export month of the first half by volume, behind the 80,870 tonnes shipped in May. However, May exports were 2.55% below the same month of 2025, whereas the June figure returned to year-on-year growth.

Across the first six months, Vietnam completed 46.99% of VINACAS’s annual export-volume plan of 800,000 tonnes. Export turnover reached 52.47% of the association’s USD 5 billion annual target.

China moves ahead of the United States

China received 21,002 tonnes of Vietnamese cashew kernels in June, accounting for 26.89% of the country’s total monthly exports. Shipments were 36.23% higher than in June 2025, while export turnover increased by 55.60% to USD 151.7 million.

The United States remained the second-largest destination in June, receiving 14,316 tonnes with a value of USD 99.9 million. This represented year-on-year growth of 59.13% in volume and 62.71% in turnover.

Over the full first half, China imported 78,038 tonnes from Vietnam, 7.76% more than during the same period of 2025. The value of these shipments increased by 22.87% to almost USD 558 million.

The United States received 64,960 tonnes during the same period, an increase of 30.84%, while turnover rose by 33.46% to USD 446.7 million. China therefore became Vietnam’s largest individual destination by volume and value during the first six months of the year, although its growth was less consistent from month to month.

Exports to all other markets, including the European Union, reached a combined 232,961 tonnes in the first half. This was broadly unchanged from the previous year, with volume rising by 0.09% and turnover declining by 0.68%. In June, shipments to this combined market group fell by 10.04% year on year to 42,770 tonnes.

Chart showing Vietnam’s H1 2026 cashew-kernel export destinations, with all other markets at 62.0%, China at 20.8% and the United States at 17.3%. — China was Vietnam’s largest individual cashew-kernel export destination in H1 2026, while all other markets combined accounted for 62.0% of volume.

Export values remain higher than in 2025

Vietnam’s average cashew-kernel export value reached USD 6,938 per tonne during the first half of 2026, 1.55% above the corresponding period last year. The average value increased from USD 6,734 per tonne in February to more than USD 7,000 per tonne in each month from April through June.

Average export values differed across the main destinations. China recorded the highest first-half average at USD 7,150 per tonne, 14.47% above the previous year. The United States averaged USD 6,877 per tonne, up 1.85%, while the combined EU and other-market category averaged USD 6,949 per tonne, down 0.79%.

VINACAS’s separate WW320 price series recorded an average of USD 3.51 per pound FOB Vietnam in June, based on the average of the reported monthly high and low. This was 0.18% above June 2025. The corresponding average for the full reporting period was USD 3.52 per pound, 1.10% higher year on year.

RCN imports fall in June but remain higher for the half year

Vietnam imported 244,556 tonnes of raw cashew nuts in June, 18.44% less than in June 2025. Import turnover declined by 13.21% to USD 382.3 million, while the average import price rose by 6.40% to USD 1,563 per tonne.

The June decline followed a 21.05% year-on-year reduction in May. However, the considerably larger import volumes recorded in March and April kept the first-half total above the previous year.

Between January and June, Vietnam imported 1.83 million tonnes of RCN, an increase of 9.31%. Import turnover rose by 15.87% to almost USD 2.99 billion, while the average import price increased by 1.98% to USD 1,609 per tonne. By the end of June, Vietnam had reached 57.12% of VINACAS’s annual RCN import-volume plan.

Borma imports increase sharply

Vietnam also recorded substantially higher imports of borma cashews and white kernels during the first half of 2026. Imports reached 72,123 tonnes, an increase of 50.09% compared with the same period of 2025, while import turnover rose by 42.05% to USD 458.7 million.

The average import value declined by 4.95% to USD 6,354 per tonne, as volume growth outpaced the increase in turnover.

In June, Vietnam imported 12,116 tonnes of borma and white kernels, 25.90% more than in June 2025. Import turnover increased by 20.64% to USD 77.1 million, while the average import value fell by 4.17% to USD 6,367 per tonne.

When converted into an RCN equivalent, imported cashew kernels accounted for 14.22% of Vietnam’s combined RCN-equivalent imports during the first half, compared with 85.78% for imported raw cashew nuts.

Ivory Coast leads June origin supply

Ivory Coast was Vietnam’s largest RCN supplier in June, shipping 70,744 tonnes and accounting for 28.93% of total monthly imports. Cambodia followed with 51,080 tonnes, representing 20.89%, while Nigeria supplied 48,732 tonnes, or 19.93%. Ghana and Guinea accounted for a further 14.28% and 9.86%, respectively.

Despite ranking second in June, Cambodia remained by far Vietnam’s largest RCN source over the full first half. Imports from Cambodia reached 1.03 million tonnes, equivalent to 56.40% of the total. This was 12.71% higher in volume and 29.09% higher in value than during the same period of 2025.

Imports from Ivory Coast totalled 213,354 tonnes during the first six months, 40.52% more than a year earlier, although June arrivals from the origin were 27.91% below June 2025. All other origins combined supplied 583,580 tonnes during the first half, a decline of 3.64%.

Bar chart showing Vietnam’s June 2026 raw cashew nut imports by origin, led by Ivory Coast, Cambodia and Nigeria. — Ivory Coast was Vietnam’s largest RCN supplier in June 2026, followed by Cambodia and Nigeria.

Stronger exports close the first half

The first-half VINACAS data show that Vietnam increased both cashew-kernel export volume and turnover compared with 2025. China became the largest individual destination, while shipments to the United States also recorded substantial growth.

At the same time, RCN imports remained higher over the six-month period despite declining in May and June. The next monthly data will show whether the recent reduction in raw-material arrivals continues and whether export growth remains concentrated in China and the United States.

Source: VINACAS, Exported Cashew Kernels and Imported RCN & Borma Cashews, June 2026.