CAC News
KAMPONG THOM, Cambodia, Aug. 7 — The Cashew Nut Association of Cambodia (CAC) has completed a three-day practical training program aimed at strengthening technical skills and expanding domestic cashew processing capacity.
The Cashew Nut Processing Training Program, held from Aug. 5 to 7 at the CAC head office in Kampong Thom province, was designed to address technical and resource gaps that continue to limit the competitiveness and profitability of Cambodia’s growing cashew-processing sector.
The CAC head office includes a processing facility that serves as a practical training site for existing processors and entrepreneurs interested in starting cashew-processing businesses.
The training focused on post-harvest management, processing techniques, quality control, machinery operation, financial management and value addition. It was developed following consultations with existing and prospective processors, as well as a training needs assessment, to ensure the sessions reflected the practical challenges faced by Cambodia’s cashew industry.
Qualified staff from cashew-processing factories, Mirath, Pinex, and Nuts & Nest Enterprise, facilitated the training, while practical sessions were conducted at Nuts and Nest Enterprise. Participants received hands-on instruction in key processing stages, including steaming raw cashew nuts, deshelling, roasting and peeling.
The program also covered international cashew kernel grading and quality standards, food safety, storage and moisture management, as well as appropriate processing technologies and machinery.
Participants were introduced to financial analysis for cashew processing, including production costs, processing revenue, profit margins, break-even considerations and financial risks associated with purchasing raw materials and operating processing facilities.
Machinery selection was another key component, with discussions covering sources of peeling machines, equipment requirements across the processing line and factors to consider when investing in processing equipment.
The training also highlighted opportunities to generate additional income from cashew-processing by-products. Participants explored the potential uses of cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL), cashew nut shells extract (CNSE) and other agricultural waste, including the production of biochar.
According to the CAC, greater utilization of processing by-products could help reduce waste, create additional revenue streams and improve the sustainability of the industry.
The initiative is part of broader efforts to strengthen Cambodia’s domestic cashew-processing sector, enabling the country to retain more value from its cashew production while creating employment and improving income opportunities for farmers and businesses.
Silot Uon, chairman of CAC, said strengthening local technical expertise and processing capacity will be essential for developing a more competitive, sustainable and value-added Cambodian cashew industry capable of meeting domestic and international market requirements.
