Côte d’Ivoire inaugurates USD 24.9M cashew processing unit

COTE D’IVOIRE – Prime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé inaugurated a new 15 billion CFA francs (USD 24.9 million), cashew nut processing unit in Boundiali, Côte d’Ivoire on July 12.

This facility, financed by the Emirati company Pan African Agro Commodities (PAAC) spans 10 hectares in the communal village of Tombougou-Samorosso.

The government of Côte d’Ivoire aims to process 50% of the country’s annual cashew production by 2030. Recent investments by the private sector are strengthening the local industry’s capacity.

The new unit has a processing capacity of 50 tons per day, which translates to over 18,000 tons annually. According to PAAC, future plans include expanding this capacity to 150,000 tons per year.

The unit will rely on local producers in the Bagoué region, which accounts for at least 10% of Côte d’Ivoire’s national cashew harvest of over 1 million tons.

“This processing unit has already created 5,000 direct and indirect jobs and is expected to triple this workforce to 16,000 people in the long term,” stated a government press release.

This investment is part of a broader strategy to increase Côte d’Ivoire’s cashew processing capacity. In 2024, the country aims to process 320,000 tonnes of nuts, which represents 25% of the anticipated 1.2 million tonnes produced at the start of the campaign.

Launch of Cashew Incubator

Barely a month before the inauguration in Boundiali, Côte d’Ivoire launched the Cajou Foodtech incubator in Yamoussoukro on July 6.

This incubator, part of the Project to Promote the Competitiveness of the Cashew Value Chain (PPCA), is designed to support local processing and competitiveness.

The Cajou Foodtech incubator features a 400 m² production unit capable of processing 200 kg of almonds and cashew apples daily. It aims to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by offering training, technical assistance, and access to advanced production facilities.

Ivorian Minister of Agriculture Kobénan Kouassi Adjoumani highlighted the importance of this initiative during the inauguration ceremony.

“This incubator is a crucial step in strengthening our cashew sector. We aim to empower our SMEs to produce high-quality products that can compete in global markets,” he said.

The first group of 15 entrepreneurs, including 14 women, began their training on July 11, marking a significant step toward enhancing the capabilities of local cashew processors.

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