Cashews of Palawan: Why Are They Everywhere?
Walk through Coron, El Nido or Puerto Princesa and you'll notice bags and jars of cashew nuts—or kasoy—everywhere.
They are sold in souvenir shops, markets, roadside stores and airports.
There's a good reason.
Palawan is the cashew capital of the Philippines.
Palawan Really Does Grow Cashews
Cashews aren't simply packaged in Palawan for tourists.
They're an important agricultural crop for the province.
Agricultural research has historically estimated that around 90% of Philippine cashew production comes from Palawan, with major producing areas including Roxas, El Nido and Dumaran.
Cashews have become so closely associated with the province that they're promoted as one of Palawan's signature products.
What Does a Cashew Actually Look Like?
If you've only seen cashews in a packet, the fruit may surprise you.
The familiar curved nut grows attached to the bottom of a fleshy fruit called the cashew apple.
The nut must then be carefully processed before it can be eaten.
Cashew processing has developed into an important small industry in Palawan, with families and businesses roasting, frying, sweetening and packaging the nuts.
What Should You Try?
The simplest version is often the best:
plain roasted cashews.
You'll also find salted, fried, garlic-flavored, sweetened and caramelized varieties.
Look around and you may discover cashew brittle, pastries, cookies and other locally produced products.
Research supported by the Department of Agriculture has even developed products using the often-discarded cashew apple, including jam, jelly, wine and prunes.
When Are Cashews Harvested?
Cashew harvesting traditionally takes place during Palawan's drier months, particularly around March to May.
The nuts can then be processed and stored, which is why packaged cashews remain available to visitors throughout the year.
Are All Cashews Sold in Palawan Local?
Don't automatically assume so.
Palawan is a major producer, but a souvenir shop selling cashews isn't by itself proof that the particular nuts were grown or processed locally.
If buying local matters to you, check the label and ask where they were produced.
Choosing genuinely Palawan-grown and locally processed products helps keep more of your purchase within the province.
A Good Pasalubong
Filipinos have a word for the gifts you bring home from a trip:
pasalubong.
Cashews are almost perfect for it.
They're compact, easy to carry, don't require refrigeration and genuinely connect to Palawan's agricultural identity.
So before leaving Coron, take home something produced beyond the beaches and lagoons.
A bag of Palawan cashews is more than a souvenir—it's a taste of the province itself.
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Because I Love Coron.
