At the cashew processing center in Quinhamel, raw cashew nuts are boiled in a large cauldron for 25 minutes, then sun-dried for 48 hours, causing the nut to separate slightly from the shell for easier processing. Processors then remove the shell, cashew by cashew, with a foot-powered shelling machine. Once separated and grouped in accordance with international standards, the cashews are roasted and packed for shipping. Because cashew trees flourish in Guinea-Bissau's soil, production is entirely organic and environmentally sound, requiring no pesticides or fertilizers.
Processing is likewise environmentally friendly and efficient.
Workers shell and clean cashews using available light in group settings conducive to social interaction. These machines, originally imported from Brazil, are now manufactured locally. Thus cashew processing is an environmentally sound activity which can be carried out by Guineans, without the need for foreign assistance.