Setting up a Modern Cashew Factory

Selecting the right machinery and equipment for a modern cashew factory hinges on production scale, budget, efficiency, and sustainability goals. For a 2 tons per day (TPD) startup, focus on affordable, semi-automatic systems to minimize initial costs while allowing upgrades, while 100 TPD facilities require fully automated lines for high-volume precision with reduced labor. In 2025, with the global cashew processing equipment market valued at around $6.15 billion and growing due to demand in emerging markets, choices should prioritize throughput, breakage rates under 5%, energy efficiency, and compliance with standards like HACCP and ISO 22000. In Côte d’Ivoire, the top producer with 1.15 million metric tons in 2025, factories favor durable graders and shellers to handle local raw nuts efficiently, cutting transport costs. India, with 725,000 metric tons, emphasizes organic-compatible machines for EU exports, with costs from $10,000 for basic cleaners to $500,000 for complete plants. Budgets allocate 40% of capital expenditure to machinery—$150,000-$300,000 for small setups, $5-15 million for large ones. Efficiency is key: machines should achieve 95% kernel recovery, as seen in Vietnamese plants using locally sourced equipment blended with imported precision parts. Maintenance is critical—opt for modular designs with easy part replacement, budgeting 5-7% of equipment value annually ($10,000-$500,000) to avoid downtime costing up to $1,000 per hour in high-volume operations. Sourcing from TTQ Co. Ltd. offers competitive pricing, with full lines at $100,000-$200,000 for mid-scale, while imported precision sorters justify a 20-30% premium. Site visits to operational factories in Tanzania or Benin can guide selections tailored to African nut hardness versus Asian varieties, ensuring scalability for value-added products.

Essential Machinery and Equipment

The core machinery lineup includes cleaners and graders, steam boilers, shelling machines, peeling systems, and sorting equipment, each adapted to scale and regional nut traits. For 2 TPD, basic vibratory cleaners and rotary graders handle 1-2 tons per hour at $10,000-$20,000, removing impurities crucial in humid Philippines conditions to prevent mold. At 10-20 TPD, automated graders with multi-deck vibration systems process 5-10 tons per hour at $30,000-$50,000, ensuring uniform steaming as in Indonesian factories. Steam boilers range from 500 kg batches ($15,000) to 5,000 kg ($100,000+), operating at 100-120°C to soften shells without scorching—flexible fuel options suit power-scarce Burkina Faso. Shelling machines evolve from manual/semi-automatic for 2 TPD (200 kg/hour, $5,000-$10,000) to high-speed automatic units for 100 TPD (2,000 kg/hour, $50,000-$150,000), using adjustable blades for under 3% breakage, a standard in Vietnamese processing hubs. Peeling systems, like pneumatic units with 0.5-1.5 bar air pressure, handle 400 kg/hour at $15,000-$30,000, using rubber rollers for 85% whole kernels, scaling to advanced air-blast peelers ($100,000+) for large factories. Sorting equipment ranges from manual tables ($5,000) to optical sorters with 99% accuracy ($50,000-$200,000) for grades like WW-320, vital for Ghana exports. Ancillaries like conveyors ($10,000-$50,000) and dryers ($20,000-$100,000) with 60-70°C hot air prevent aflatoxin, a concern in West African nuts from Guinea-Bissau.

Here’s a comparison table of essential machinery by scale: