Has the market forgotten cashew farmers? Reflections from GME

At the Global Markets Encounter (GME) with Jim Fitzpatrick on June 11 2025, industry stakeholders engaged in a powerful and revealing conversation about cashew producers – their pivotal role in the value chain and whether the market has marginalized their interest. While the topic of farmers is not new, it is rare to witness such open and honest dialogues about the interest of farmers at the highest level of industry discourse. So, have the interest of farmers, the very foundation of the industry, really been sidelined?

The conversation between Jim Fitzpatrick, host of the GME, and Herman Uit De Bosch of FairMatch Support – both highly respected experts in the cashew industry with vast experience in value chain analysis and longstanding interaction with farmers – spotlighted several important insights. Below, we share four key takeaways from the discussion.

• Challenging the idea of a “Cashew Farmer”

It is Herman’s long-held belief that the idea of a cashew farmer does not truly exist. Visit any cashew producing community and you will find that most cashew producers are also engaged in cultivating several other crops. Like any investor, farmers will channel their efforts and resources into crops that offer better returns. The cashew industry, especially policymakers, must prioritize the needs of farmers or risk losing them to more profitable alternatives.

• Ensuring Market stability and Farmer Linkages

As long-term entrepreneurs, cashew producers need the assurance of a stable market. Excessive market volatility poses a significant threat to their investments. There is also a pressing need for deliberate policy measures – at organizational, national and regional levels – to ensure proper and sustainable market linkages that benefits farmers in the long term.

• Driving Infrastructure for Farm Sustainability

To ensure long-term sustainability of the industry, farmers must be supported. Governments can play a key role in incentivizing cashew farming by providing essential infrastructure, extension services and invest in research into improved planting materials – while ensuring their availability to farmers. Development partners also have a critical role to play, particularly in building farmer capacity in Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), pest and disease management, and farm economics. One effective approach is to sponsor more farmers to participate in the Master Training Programme (MTP).

• Modernizing Partnerships with Farmers

Other actors in the cashew value chain, especially buyers and processors, must   begin to treat farmers as entrepreneurs and respect their leading role in the industry. Policy makers must prioritize the interest of farmers and put measures in place to protect their investments