Tanzania is East Africa’s leading cashew nation, growing over 500,000 tonnes of raw cashew nuts in the 2024/25 season (per the Cashewnut Board of Tanzania) — one of the largest crops in Africa — yet it still processes only a small share at home. Domestic processing hit a five-year high in 2025, up about 67% year on year, but that record was still only around 20,000 tonnes of the crop, which shows just how large the value-addition gap remains. For a processor, Tanzania combines a huge, established raw supply with a clear national drive toward domestic processing — a strong setting to build a factory. CASHEW TECH supplies the machines and complete turnkey plants to serve it, from small units to 50-ton-per-day factories.
Historically most of Tanzania’s crop was auctioned and shipped raw, chiefly to India. Reversing that — capturing the kernel value locally — is exactly the opportunity a modern processing plant is built to seize.
Why Process Cashews in Tanzania Now
Tanzania’s cashew, grown mainly in the southern Mtwara, Lindi, and Ruvuma regions and traded through the warehouse-receipt system, has long left the country as raw nuts. The policy direction is now firmly toward local processing and value addition, and 2025’s sharp processing rise shows the shift is real — even if domestic capacity still absorbs only a fraction of the crop. A domestic factory shortens the supply line, captures the kernel premium, and creates local jobs — landing and shipping through the cashew port of Mtwara and the main port of Dar es Salaam. The missing piece has been affordable, well-supported processing capacity, which is what a turnkey partner delivers.
What CASHEW TECH Supplies in Tanzania
- Turnkey plants — design, machinery, electricals, steam (boiler or shell burner), installation, commissioning, and training under one contract.
- Individual machines — the full line: cutting, shelling, scooping, drying, peeling, sorting & grading, vacuum packing.
- Consulting — a bankable project report, factory layout, and advisory.
Sizing and Getting Started
Plants scale from a 2-ton-per-day starter to 50-ton-per-day industrial factories; the right size depends on your capital, secured raw-nut volume, and labour plan. Model your numbers with the plant cost guide, plan with how to start a cashew processing business, and fund with financing, grants & subsidy. Tanzania sits within the wider cashew nut producing countries picture and the broader African processing shift also seen in Côte d’Ivoire and Mozambique.
Get Started
Tell us your capacity and raw-nut supply, and we will scope a plant for Tanzania. Request a quote or book a consultation, or message us on WhatsApp from the button in the corner of any page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tanzania good for a cashew processing plant? Yes — it is East Africa’s largest producer, growing over 500,000 tonnes in 2024/25, with a national push to process locally. Domestic processing rose about 67% in 2025 to a five-year high, but still covers only a small share of the crop — a large value-addition gap.
How much raw cashew does Tanzania produce? Over 500,000 tonnes in the 2024/25 season, among the largest crops in Africa.
Where is cashew grown and shipped in Tanzania? Mainly the southern Mtwara, Lindi, and Ruvuma regions, traded through the warehouse-receipt system and moved via the Mtwara and Dar es Salaam ports.
Can CASHEW TECH build a turnkey plant in Tanzania? Yes — complete turnkey plants and individual machines, from small units to 50 tons per day.