Start processing without buying the whole line at once.
The cooperative could not purchase a complete line in one investment. Its funding arrived in three tranches, while equipment choices had to match cash flow and seasonal nut supply.
No integrated line supplier was available locally. Delivery through Dar es Salaam still needed planning, and intermittent grid electricity made generator-compatible equipment a practical requirement.
- The buyer
- A cooperative of 1,100 smallholder farmers in Mtwara, Tanzania, establishing its first cashew-processing plant.
- The equipment brief
- Steam shelling, hot-air drying, grading and vacuum packaging equipment. The full brief specified 1.5 tonnes per day of raw-nut capacity.
Build each phase around the next practical step.
We linked the equipment shortlist to the cooperative’s investment plan, available power and route into Tanzania. The buyer could approve a defined first phase while keeping the wider line in view.
Structure three investment phases
We divided the line into three phases matched to cash flow and seasonal nut supply, so the cooperative did not have to fund every stage at once.
Screen ten equipment suppliers
The comparison covered processing capacity, power requirements and after-sales support.
Plan for the available power supply
We designed the layout for low power draw and generator compatibility, addressing the intermittent grid supply.
Prepare the import route
We prepared a customs, freight and clearance plan through Dar es Salaam, including a logistics cost estimate and clearance checklist.
Approve the plan, then the first purchase.
- The cooperative board approved the three-phase investment plan.
- The Phase 1 equipment budget was approved.
- The equipment shortlist was approved after a capacity review.
The records behind the decision
- Phased capital-investment plan.
- Supplier comparison with power and output specifications.
- Logistics estimate and clearance checklist.
Cooperative identity, investment figures and supplier details are withheld from this public project record.
Equipment installed.
Local processing capacity established.
Phase 1 equipment was sourced and installed in 11 weeks, achieving 1.2 tonnes per day of shelling capacity and creating 34 new jobs. Discussions also opened with two exporters.
Break-even was projected at 14 months. The record does not confirm realized break-even, signed offtake contracts or completion of later investment phases.
- Tonnes/day of shelling capacity
Recorded Phase 1 result - 1.2
- New jobs
Reported for this project - 34
What this project shows
A first processing line can be planned around available funding without losing sight of the full process. Capacity, power, supplier support and freight belong in the same purchasing decision. Here, a phased plan turned the first approved investment into installed shelling capacity.
Match the machinery to the product and the site.
Define what enters each stage, what must leave it and the conditions the equipment will operate under. For a packing stage, include the product, pouch and seal requirements in the brief.
- Capacity with a clear basis
- Separate raw-nut input, shelling throughput and finished-kernel output. Ask for operating hours, material assumptions and acceptance-test conditions.
- Utilities and support
- Confirm available power, backup arrangements, space, maintenance access, spare parts and operator training before comparing machine prices.
- The finished pack
- Specify kernel grade, pack weight, pouch material and size, seal requirements and expected batch volume. Ask suppliers to demonstrate the proposed combination.
The GIZ/ComCashew equipment-selection guide connects equipment choice with raw materials, utilities, maintenance and technical support. MULTIVAC’s chamber-machine guidance explains why the product, pouch and machine must work together. Use these questions to review the specific offer with your technical team.
Make the next quotation useful.
A machine list alone leaves important choices unresolved. Tell suppliers what the line must produce, what the site can support and which phase you intend to buy.
For Tanzania delivery, identify the port, final site and responsibilities for each handover. Have the responsible logistics and clearance providers confirm current requirements for the actual shipment.
- Product and process
- Raw material, seasonal availability, required process stages, input capacity, target output grades and expected operating hours.
- Site and utilities
- Layout, available space, electricity specification, backup power, water and any other utilities required by the proposed machines.
- Investment and acceptance
- Current phase, budget range, future expansion, sample or material trials, performance criteria, training and commissioning responsibilities.
- Delivery and after-sales
- Destination, target date, packing, freight and clearance scope, spare parts, manuals, warranty terms and the support available after installation.
Support for your processing-line purchase
- Procurement coordination
Organize equipment requirements, supplier follow-up and the approvals needed for each purchasing phase.
- Technical quotation comparison
Compare capacity, power, included equipment, support and exclusions on a consistent basis.
- Shipping coordination
Connect the packing and dispatch plan with the relevant freight and destination providers.
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