From the bottom of a hanging fruit like this, each fruit grows just one shelnut called a droop, which workers separate by hand.

The nuts must then dry under the sun to help draw out some of the shells caustic liquid.

The most difficult and dangerous step is splitting open the nuts.

After a machine splits open the shells, the next two crucial stages totally depend on workers.

The nuts are roasted to ensure again that the toxic liquid inside is destroyed.

The next stage workers must peel off the husk or the dry outer covering that surrounds each nut.

This step is not only difficult, but also has the biggest impact on price.

Cashews are graded by several features, like color, weight and condition.