Ghana Transforms Cashew Apples into Economic Asset

Ghana, a leading cashew producer, is discovering economic value in cashew apples, which have historically been discarded. The country produces approximately 250,000 tonnes of raw cashew nuts annually, but the apples, which outnumber the nuts, are often left unprocessed.

Francisca Aba Ansah, a food post-harvest scientist at the CSIR-Food Research Institute and project lead for MA-CASH, is working with farming communities to develop products such as juice, juice blends, sausages, and bagels from cashew apples. The fruit spoils quickly, often within 24 hours, complicating transportation to processing centers.

Preservation technology is being tested to facilitate commercial collection and processing. Additionally, the project is exploring off-season income opportunities like beekeeping under cashew plantations, as honey produced in these areas is of high quality.

Some farmers are already implementing strategies to create value from cashew apples, transitioning from potential to practice.