The cashew tree is a tree native to Brazil that was discovered by the Portuguese, who introduced it to Africa and Asia, which resists strong heat but is very sensitive to low temperatures. Today, India is its main producer because of the procurement procedure. The latter being totally manual and only practiced by indigenous women.
The cashew begins to bear fruit after 5 years. Each tree produces about 15 kg of fruit per year and lives from 20 to 30 years. It is also used for its pharmacological properties.
Cashew oil is used in the manufacture of cosmetics, resins, varnishes and dyes.