Vietnam’s cashew trade opened the fourth quarter of 2026 at a level very close to September. This review covers October 2026 for two customs headings: HS 08013200 (shelled cashew kernels) and HS 20081910 (roasted, salted and otherwise prepared cashew products), together with the cumulative January–October 2026 kernel position.
Based on the customs-record database reviewed by Le Duong Cashew, HS 08013200 kernels generated USD 496,402,556.77 in October trade value, with measurable weight-based shipments of 68,119.264 MT. Prepared cashew products under HS 20081910 added USD 42,269,948.56 and 4,040.641 MT of measurable volume. Combined, the two headings recorded USD 538,672,505.32 and 72,159.905 MT. From January 1 to October 31, 2026, cumulative kernel trade reached USD 4,655,714,852.35 and 652,783.535 MT.
These figures are aggregated Vietnam cashew customs and trade data. They are not the sales, production, customer, market-share or shipment performance of any individual company. No volume has been estimated for records declared only in packaging or other non-weight units.
Key takeaways
- October 2026 kernels (HS 08013200): USD 496.40 million and 68,119.264 MT.
- October 2026 prepared cashews (HS 20081910): USD 42.27 million and 4,040.641 MT.
- January–October 2026 kernels: USD 4.656 billion and 652,783.535 MT.
- October kernel value eased only 0.87% month on month, while measurable kernel volume declined 1.22%.
- Weighted kernel value rose to USD 7.2231/kg, about 0.50% above September’s USD 7.1869/kg.
- WW320 remained the largest explicitly identified kernel grade at 30.26% of measurable volume, followed by WW240 and WW180.
- Prepared cashew products represented 7.85% of combined October value, with a weighted value of USD 8.1642/kg on weight-based rows.
KPI snapshot
| KPI | Kernels HS 08013200 | Prepared HS 20081910 | Combined October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trade value | USD 496,402,556.77 | USD 42,269,948.56 | USD 538,672,505.32 |
| Measurable quantity | 68,119.264 MT | 4,040.641 MT | 72,159.905 MT |
| Customs declarations | 3,428 | 1,175 | 4,532 |
| Normalized buyer entities | 787 | 230 | 945 |
| Destination markets | 78 | 45 | 83 |
| Weighted value on weight-based rows | USD 7.2231/kg | USD 8.1642/kg | USD 7.2758/kg |
The weighted USD/kg figures use only rows whose units can be converted exactly into kilograms. Valid USD values from packaging-unit transactions remain in total trade value, but their quantities are excluded from the weight denominator. Combined counts are de-duplicated, so a declaration, buyer or market that appears under both headings is counted once.
October 2026: kernel trade holds close to September
October kernel trade value of USD 496.40 million was 0.87% below September’s USD 500.76 million on the same HS 08013200 basis. Measurable kernel volume moved from 68,957.269 MT in September to 68,119.264 MT in October, a month-on-month decline of 1.22%.
Customs declarations were broadly stable at 3,428, compared with 3,445 in September, while normalized buyer entities increased from 733 to 787. Weighted value on weight-based kernel transactions increased from USD 7.1869/kg to USD 7.2231/kg. After the sequential moderation seen through the third quarter, October therefore points to stabilization rather than a further step down: physical volume was slightly lower, buyer participation was wider, and value per kilogram was firmer.
Weekly flow through October
| Period | Kernel trade value | Measurable volume |
|---|---|---|
| October 1–4 | USD 44,483,373.76 | 6,269.960 MT |
| October 5–11 | USD 113,485,432.59 | 15,860.899 MT |
| October 12–18 | USD 120,395,678.61 | 16,520.803 MT |
| October 19–25 | USD 113,001,319.42 | 15,221.766 MT |
| October 26–31 | USD 105,036,752.38 | 14,245.835 MT |
| October total | USD 496,402,556.77 | 68,119.264 MT |
Shipments peaked in the middle of the month and remained above 14,000 MT per full week through the end of October. A year-on-year comparison is not presented for October because a comparable October 2025 record set was not part of this review.
Prepared cashew products: HS 20081910
HS 20081910 covers cashews that have been roasted, salted, flavoured or otherwise prepared. In October 2026 this heading recorded USD 42,269,948.56 across 1,175 customs declarations, 230 normalized buyer entities and 45 destination markets. Measurable weight-based volume was 4,040.641 MT at a weighted USD 8.1642/kg, a premium of roughly 13% over the kernel average that reflects processing, seasoning and retail packing.
This heading is much more packaging-driven than the kernel trade. About 21.96% of its value, USD 9,281,391.20, was declared in bags, packs, jars, cans or pieces and is therefore excluded from the measurable tonnage. Almost all measurable volume, 98.38%, moved in sea containers, and FOB accounted for 78.42% of measurable volume. Air shipments appeared on 47.67% of declaration lines but carried only about 0.40% of value, mainly small retail packs supplied to international airport channels.
By value, the leading destinations were China (20.42%), the United States (18.87%), Canada (13.09%), Singapore (10.33%) and Germany (7.15%). Around 82.65% of measurable volume did not carry an explicit grade code, which is typical for finished snack products described by flavour and pack size rather than kernel grade.
January–October 2026 performance
Adding October to the January–September kernel base published in our previous review, cumulative HS 08013200 trade for the first ten months of 2026 reached USD 4,655,714,852.35 and 652,783.535 MT of measurable volume. The like-for-like nine-month comparison with 2025 showed value up 22.16% and volume up 13.80%; October’s level, close to the September run-rate, keeps the year on a clearly higher footing than 2025.
Product and grade mix
Grade analysis uses only explicit codes found in source product descriptions; no grade was inferred from price, destination or other indirect information.
- WW320: 20,614.681 MT, or 30.26% of measurable October kernel volume, at a weighted USD 7.1054/kg.
- WW240: 11,117.973 MT, or 16.32%, at USD 7.8177/kg.
- WW180: 3,497.820 MT, or 5.14%, at USD 9.9474/kg.
- WS (white splits): 2,600.577 MT, or 3.82%.
- LP (large pieces): 1,763.803 MT, or 2.59%.
- WW450: 811.776 MT, or 1.19%.
Approximately 34.87% of measurable October kernel volume did not contain a recognized explicit grade code and remains classified as unspecified. Compared with September, WW320 gained share (from 28.58% to 30.26%), WW240 was stable at about 16.3%, and WW180 eased from 6.48% to 5.14%.
Destination and shipping structure
October kernel shipments covered 78 normalized destination markets, compared with 81 in September. The two largest destinations represented approximately 37.40% of measurable October tonnage, slightly below September’s 38.55%. The five largest markets accounted for 60.00% and the ten largest for 75.36%. China (20.11%), the United States (17.29%), the United Arab Emirates (8.24%), Singapore (8.05%) and Türkiye (6.30%) led by measurable volume.
FOB remained the largest Incoterm category at 46.63% of measurable kernel volume. Other major terms included DAP at 16.57%, CFR at 14.03%, CIF at 11.38% and DAF at 9.52%. Sea containers carried 71.49% of measurable kernel volume and road transport 16.70%, mainly cross-border flows. The contractual and logistics mix therefore remained close to the pattern seen in September.
Outlook for November–December 2026
The October data supports a steady outlook for the rest of the fourth quarter. Kernel value and volume held close to September, value per kilogram firmed, and the number of active buyers increased. Year-end holiday demand, retail restocking and Lunar New Year preparation in Asian markets are the usual drivers to watch during November and December.
Key indicators include weekly kernel shipment volume, weighted USD value per kilogram, WW320 and WW240 participation, demand for prepared and retail-packed cashews under HS 20081910, buyer activity across destination markets and the Incoterm mix. No numerical forecast is presented because the source database does not contain verified forward orders.
Le Duong Cashew perspective
Le Duong Cashew is a cashew-only processing factory in Vietnam. We focus on one product and do it carefully: white whole kernels from WW180 to WW450, white splits and large pieces, and salt-roasted kernels with testa, produced to clear written specifications and packed for export.
The October figures show that international buyers continue to rely on Vietnam for mainstream grades such as WW320 and WW240, while value-added roasted products keep growing in importance. For buyers who need consistent grading, controlled moisture and broken levels, reliable documentation and on-time container loading, Le Duong Cashew offers a direct factory partnership built on transparency and long-term trust.
Planning your next cashew sourcing program? Review our cashew kernel range, learn how to order, or submit a B2B quotation request.
Methodology and data disclaimer
The review uses October 2026 customs-record workbooks for HS 08013200 and HS 20081910, and the September 2026 and January–September 2026 kernel figures published in our previous review. USD value uses the direct source field. Weight includes only exact mass conversions from kilograms, tonnes and pounds. Packaging, bag, piece, jar or set units are not estimated in kilograms. Exact duplicate rows were removed. Buyer entities and destination markets are counted after name normalization.
All figures are aggregated Vietnam cashew customs and trade data. They are not the sales, production, customer, market-share, shipment, growth or performance data of any individual company. No importer or exporter names, customer-specific prices, contract numbers, addresses, phone numbers or email addresses are disclosed.
