Glossary of Key Terms in Cashew Processing

• Raw Cashew Nuts (RCN): Cashew nuts as they are harvested, with their shells still intact.
• Cashew Kernels: The edible part of the cashew nut, extracted from the shell.
• Kernel Outturn Ratio (KOR): The percentage of usable cashew kernels obtained from a given quantity of RCN.
• Whole Kernels: Cashew kernels that remain intact after processing.
• Split Kernels: Cashew kernels that are broken along their natural cleavage line during processing.
• Net Present Value (NPV): A financial metric used to determine the profitability of a project by calculating the present value of future cash flows, discounted at a specific rate.
• Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR): A ratio that compares the total benefits of a project to its total costs to assess its economic viability.
• Sensitivity Analysis: A technique used to assess the impact of changes in key assumptions (like prices or costs) on the outcome of a project or investment decision.
• Value Chain: The series of interconnected activities involved in bringing a product or service from its origin to the final consumer.
• Value Chain Reconfiguration: The process of adjusting and modifying the existing value chain to accommodate changes in the industry, such as a shift towards domestic processing.
• Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs): Businesses that are independently owned and operated, are not dominant in their field, and employ a certain number of people (this number varies by country).
• MoU: Memorandum of Understanding: A non-binding agreement between two or more parties that outlines the terms and conditions of a proposed collaboration or project.