The Vietnam Cashew Association is negotiating with foreign partners to import an estimated 10,000 tonnes of unprocessed nuts as raw material for domestic processors who complained about a serious shortage this year.

The association said businesses have so far bought some 200,000 tonnes of cashew nuts while the remaining stock held by farmers is estimated at 50,000 tonnes, or just 250,000 tonnes for the entire year against last year's 350,000 tonnes.

Abnormal weather and the spread of insects have greatly reduced the crop yields, making more than 100 processing plants with a combined capacity of over 350,000 tonnes fall in short of 100,000 tonnes of raw materials, said the association.