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Cashew Cutting Machine in Mozambique

Mozambique was once the world’s largest cashew producer — a position it held from independence through the early 1970s before a combination of conflict, policy failures, and ageing tree stock caused a dramatic decline. Today, production has partially recovered to approximately 165,000 metric tons, and domestic processing is being rebuilt after decades of neglect. Mozambique’s counter-seasonal East African harvest (October–February) makes it a valuable origin for processors seeking year-round supply.

Mozambique’s Cashew Industry at a Glance

Metric	Value
Annual RCN production	~165,000 MT
Primary growing regions	Nampula, Cabo Delgado, Zambezia
Typical nut count / kg	190–215 nuts/kg
KOR (outturn)	46–50 lbs per 80 kg
Size profile	6% A+, 26% A, 40% B — B-grade dominant
Processing status	Processing sector being rebuilt; growing fast

RCN Size Profile: What to Expect from Mozambique Nuts

Mozambican nuts are medium in size — a solid B-grade dominant profile comparable to Benin or general Ivory Coast. The 190–215/kg nut count places most of the crop in the B and C bands. On a 10-Head Vietnamese rotary cutter, Mozambican nuts process at approximately 258 kg/hr. The key strategic advantage of Mozambique is timing: the harvest runs October–February, bridging the gap between West African and the following year’s West African season and allowing processors to maintain machine utilisation and worker continuity year-round.

Choosing the Right Cutting Machine for Mozambique

The table below summarises the recommended cutting machine configurations for processing Mozambique-origin raw cashew nuts across a range of daily throughput targets. All throughput figures are adjusted for the size profile of Mozambique nuts.

Configuration	Machines	Throughput/unit	Total line	Best suited for
6-Head (12 blades)	1–2 units	~181 kg/hr	181–362 kg/hr	Small plant, 2–6 T/day
8-Head (16 blades)	1–3 units	~226 kg/hr	226–678 kg/hr	Standard, 4–14 T/day
10-Head (20 blades)	1–3 units	~261 kg/hr	261–783 kg/hr	Commercial, 5–18 T/day
12-Head (24 blades)	1–2 units	~313 kg/hr	313–626 kg/hr	Export plant, 12–24 T/day

Throughput figures are adjusted for Mozambique’s nut size profile. All configurations refer to Vietnamese-style horizontal rotary cutting machines — the industry standard for whole-kernel yield on commercial-scale operations.

Key Operational Considerations for Mozambique

• Nacala deep-water port is excellent for equipment imports and kernel exports — one of East Africa’s best port facilities.
• Nampula province has reasonable power infrastructure for industrial use; more remote cashew-growing areas require generator provision.
• Counter-seasonal harvest (October–February) is a key strategic asset — Mozambique RCN can keep a facility running while West Africa is in off-season.
• Ageing tree stock in some areas produces variable nut sizes within batches — size grading before the cutting line is recommended.
• Mozambique is actively recruiting processing investment through CPI (Centre de Promoção de Investimentos) with incentive packages for agro-industrial facilities.

Next Steps

Mozambique’s counter-seasonal supply and improving port infrastructure make it one of the most strategically attractive locations for cashew processing investment in East Africa. Contact us with your capacity requirements and we will design a machine line suited to Mozambican-origin RCN.

Use the Cutting Machine Design Calculator on cashew-technology.com to model your exact requirements based on your daily tonnage and chosen RCN origin. For a detailed quotation and installation plan, contact our technical team directly via the WhatsApp button on the calculator page.