A Review of the Smallholder Cashew Nut Processing Industry in Indonesia and Its Sustainability

Abstract

Cashew nut production in Indonesia is largely limited to the eastern region. The harvesting time varies according to the production region during the dry season, ranging from July to November. Most cashews are sold in the shells to traders who frequent farmers’ villages. However, the price of cashews in the shell is considerably lower than that of fresh or processed cashew nuts, which are mainly processed by smallholder farmers. Cashews are a potential export commodity because of their high economic value in the global market and as an added value for income generation in the smallholder farming system. This study is a systematic review of the economic impact of the cashew nut home industry focused on Southeast Sulawesi, East Nusa Tenggara, and West Nusa Tenggara as the three largest provinces producing cashew kernels in Indonesia. The metadata suggest that processing cashew nuts is a key element in enhancing farmers’ welfare, particularly for those in eastern regions, which are affected by drought. Four measures were identified to improve the home cashew nut industry sustainability: (1) develop local cashew enterprise processing; (2) facilitate linkages to business and financial institutions; (3) increase income via a farmer’s-group-managed processing unit; and (4) strengthen cooperation between farmer’s groups and companies.

Aplikasi Teknologi Pengolahan Jambu Mete di Desa Libas Pulau Bangka Kecamatan Likupang Timur Minahasa Utara

“…Awalnya masyarakat memanfaatkannya sebagai sumber pendapatan sampingan karena selain jambu mete sebagai tanaman musiman, biasanya masa panen bulan September sampai Desember, juga pengisi waktu tidak melaut karena di bulan-bulan tersebut kondisi laut tidak bersahabat. Sebagaimana diketahui bahwa biji jambu mete selain mengandung protein (21%), karbohidrat (22%), lemak (47%), mineral dan vitamin dalam jumlah yang cukup besar serta asam amino esensial (38,78%) khususnya leusin dan arginin sebesar 22,23%, juga bernilai ekonomi (Al Mani and Yudha, 2021;Witjaksono et al, 2022).…”