Ghana to host World Cashew Festival

Ghana shall in September host the African Cashew Alliance’s (ACA) World Cashew Festival and Expo to help players in the industry develop the value-chain process. The four-day programme to begin on the 16th September, is expected to provide a platform for cashew farmers, processors, traders, exporters, service providers, retailers, equipment manufacturers, bankers and other stakeholders to fashion out innovative ways to improve and sustain the industry. A statement signed by Xénia Défontaine, Public Relations Manager of the African Cashew Alliance and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Tuesday, said the Festival would provide the platform for participants to interact and exchange ideas on international best practices. The festival is on the theme: “Value Chain and Gains-Focusing on the Potential to Leverage Profit in Each Sector of the Cashew Industry and in New Markets.” The statement said there were innovative ways of exploring business prospects in the cashew industry stressing that farmers

could discover new markets by adding beekeeping or producing cashew-apple juice. “Processors can repurpose the raw cashew shell by selling it to producers of cashew nut shell liquid or husk for dying clothes,” it said. The statement said even cashew breakages which has been described as a major challenge in the industry could be used to produce gluten free milk as well as vegetarian bean and nut burgers. “Both farmers and processors can increase their sales by meeting internationally recognized quality, food safety, and social and labour standards,” it said.   continued