In the first six months of the year, the country exported 62,000 tonnes of cashew, earning 255 million USD, a year-on-year increase of 16.3 percent. Cashew has been one of the country’s four leading export items including rice, coffee and rubber.

Vietnamese cashew has been sold to 40 countries and territories with 40 percent to the US, 20 percent to China, 20 percent to the Europe and the remainder to Russia, Japan and the Middle East.

Domestic cashew producers and exporters have worked out measures to maintain the top position.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has announced a strategy to develop the cashew sector till 2010, focusing on development of high-quality cashew growing areas, setting up large processing establishments and product diversification.

Under the strategy, cashew will be developed in the Central Highlands, the coastal southern region on a total acreage of 450,000 ha to produce 500,000 tonnes per year and post an estimated export value of nearly 700 million USD in 2010 and 820 million USD in 2020.

The sector will also invest in processing technology, food hygiene and safety to protect Vietnamese cashew trade mark.