The cashew industry needs to boost consumption in the lucrative domesticmarket, a forum on the nut's nutritional value heard in Ho Chi MinhCity on December 1.
Vietnam's cashew exports have surged inrecent years, but consumption at home remains very modest compared tolevels in India, the US, or Australia, Nguyen Duc Thanh, Chairman of theVietnam Cashew Association, said.
Dinh Thi My Loan, Chairwomanof the Vietnam Retailers Association, blamed the low sales at home tohigh prices, poor marketing, and lack of diverse products.
Besides,processors are not interested in the local market, she said, addingthat cashew products are mainly sold during the Lunar New Year, makingit hard to create a consumption habit among consumers.
Nguyen TanThanh, Deputy Director of cashew processing firm Thao Nguyen Co, saidmany people do not eat the nut in Vietnam despite its high nutritionalvalue because of high prices.
As a result, local consumptionaccounts for just around 5 percent of output while in India 30-40percent is sold domestically, he said.
To promote consumption inthe domestic market, Loan said the industry needs to strengthenadvertising and marketing and develop more cashew-based products.
Besidestrying to take their products to supermarkets and traditional retailchannels like markets and shops, businesses should also make more effortto sell online, she said.
Educating people about the nutritional benefits of cashew is also key, she said.
DoThi Ngoc Diep, Director of the HCM City Nutrition Centre, said cashewnuts are high in calories, with 100g providing 550-600 kcal compared to300-350 kcal for cereals and 150-200kcal for meat.
They are alsoan abundant source of essential minerals, especially manganese,potassium, copper, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium, she said.
About80 percent of the fatty acids contained in the nuts are monounsaturatedfatty acids, mainly oleic, which are good for people with heartdiseases or diabetes who also have high triglyceride levels, she said.
It is a low blood sugar food, largely because it contains a high amount of fibre, she said.
By replacing animal-based foods, cashew can help prevent non-contagious diseases and malnutrition, she added.-VNA
Vietnam's cashew exports have surged inrecent years, but consumption at home remains very modest compared tolevels in India, the US, or Australia, Nguyen Duc Thanh, Chairman of theVietnam Cashew Association, said.
Dinh Thi My Loan, Chairwomanof the Vietnam Retailers Association, blamed the low sales at home tohigh prices, poor marketing, and lack of diverse products.
Besides,processors are not interested in the local market, she said, addingthat cashew products are mainly sold during the Lunar New Year, makingit hard to create a consumption habit among consumers.
Nguyen TanThanh, Deputy Director of cashew processing firm Thao Nguyen Co, saidmany people do not eat the nut in Vietnam despite its high nutritionalvalue because of high prices.
As a result, local consumptionaccounts for just around 5 percent of output while in India 30-40percent is sold domestically, he said.
To promote consumption inthe domestic market, Loan said the industry needs to strengthenadvertising and marketing and develop more cashew-based products.
Besidestrying to take their products to supermarkets and traditional retailchannels like markets and shops, businesses should also make more effortto sell online, she said.
Educating people about the nutritional benefits of cashew is also key, she said.
DoThi Ngoc Diep, Director of the HCM City Nutrition Centre, said cashewnuts are high in calories, with 100g providing 550-600 kcal compared to300-350 kcal for cereals and 150-200kcal for meat.
They are alsoan abundant source of essential minerals, especially manganese,potassium, copper, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium, she said.
About80 percent of the fatty acids contained in the nuts are monounsaturatedfatty acids, mainly oleic, which are good for people with heartdiseases or diabetes who also have high triglyceride levels, she said.
It is a low blood sugar food, largely because it contains a high amount of fibre, she said.
By replacing animal-based foods, cashew can help prevent non-contagious diseases and malnutrition, she added.-VNA
