Do you publish a price for each cashew grade?

No - cashew prices move with the world market and contract. Request a quote and we will confirm the grade and a current FOB figure for your lot.

Sri Lanka Trade Tools · For Growers & Processors

Cashew Grade Calculator

Q: What does W320 mean for cashews?

W320 means White Whole kernels at about 300-320 kernels per pound - the most widely traded export grade. The number is the count per pound, so a lower number (W180, W240) means bigger, more valuable kernels.

Q: How are cashew kernels graded?

By size (kernels per pound - fewer is bigger and better), colour (white wholes WW are premium; scorched SW and dessert DW grade lower), and wholeness (wholes beat splits and pieces), plus moisture and defects. These follow the international AFI/CEPC convention; the definitive grade is set by the buyer's contract.

Q: What moisture should export cashews be dried to?

Cashew kernels are generally dried to about 5% moisture or below. Above that they soften, risk mould and lose shelf life, and buyers may reject the lot. Confirm the exact limit in the buyer's specification.

Enter your cashew kernels’ count per pound and color to see the export grade, W180 to W500, white, scorched or dessert, whether they’re dried export-ready, and how to grade up.

WW320

White Wholes · ~241–320 kernels/lb

White Wholes

W180: Super Large≤180 / lb
W210: Large181–210 / lb
W240211–240 / lb
W320: Standard241–320 / lb
W450321–450 / lb
W500: Small>450 / lb

Export-ready, at or below the ~5% moisture target.

Level up: bigger kernels (a lower count per lb) grade higher, careful shelling and peeling to keep kernels large and unbroken raises the grade toward W240.

What this grade is roughly worth

Large, white, whole kernels (W180–W240) sit at the top of the market range; small, scorched or broken kernels near the bottom.

We don’t publish a firm per-grade price, cashew prices move with the world market and the contract. For a real figure for your lot, request a quote. We’ll confirm the grade and current FOB.

How cashews are graded

Processed cashew kernels are graded on three things: size (kernels per pound: fewer, larger kernels are premium), color (white is best; lightly scorched and dessert browns grade lower), and wholeness (unbroken wholes beat splits, butts and pieces). The headline grade combines color and size: a white whole of size 320 is WW320, a scorched whole of size 240 is SW240. Lower size numbers mean bigger kernels, so W180 is the largest and most valuable whole grade and W500 the smallest.

Grade	Kernels per lb	Description	Market tier
W180	≤180	Super-large white wholes	Premium
W210	181–210	Large white wholes	Premium
W240	211–240	White wholes	High
W320	241–320	Most-traded white wholes	Standard
W450	321–450	Small white wholes	Medium
W500	>450	Smallest white wholes	Economy

Scorched wholes (SW) and dessert wholes (DW) carry the same size numbers at a lower color grade; splits and pieces (LWP, SWP, baby bits) are separate lower grades. For the full grade reference across Ceylon products, see the product grades guide.

Color and drying make the grade

After size, the biggest value lever is color: even, careful roasting and gentle handling keep kernels white (the premium WW grade), while over-roasting scorches them down a grade. Then dry to about 5% moisture: above that, kernels soften, mold and lose shelf life, and buyers reject lots. And handle gently. Every broken kernel drops from a whole grade to a lower pieces grade. Confirm the exact moisture, color and defect limits in your buyer’s specification.

Grow or process cashews?

We help Sri Lankan cashew growers and processors grade, document and reach real overseas buyers. Tell us what you have. We’ll confirm the grade against buyer specs and match you to demand.

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Frequently asked questions

What does W320 mean for cashews?

W320 means White Whole kernels at about 300–320 kernels per pound, the most widely traded export grade. The number is the count per pound, so a lower number (W180, W240) means bigger, more valuable kernels.

How are cashew kernels graded?

By size (kernels per pound: fewer is bigger and better), color (white wholes WW are premium; scorched SW and dessert DW grade lower), and wholeness (wholes beat splits and pieces), plus moisture and defects. These follow the international AFI/CEPC convention; the definitive grade is set by the buyer’s contract.

What moisture should export cashews be dried to?

Cashew kernels are generally dried to about 5% moisture or below. Above that they soften, risk mold and lose shelf life, and buyers may reject the lot. Confirm the exact limit in your buyer’s specification.

Do you publish a price for each grade?

No, cashew prices move with the world market and contract. Request a quote and we’ll confirm the grade and a current FOB figure for your lot.