The Guardian has a story about the cashew trade:
The story focuses mainly on cashews produced in southern India and sold in western Europe, though cashews are also produced in many other countries. People might be surprised at how labor-intensive a product like cashews is, and how little is paid for that labor. The biggest concern is the lack of hand protection for many workers who shell cashews. Raw cashews are naturally coated with a caustic oil similar to that found in poison ivy, and the need for skin protection is obvious. For it to be absent is a sign of cost-cutting gone too far.
