Nine cashew nut processing units received on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, after an audit, the FSMA certification (Food Safety Modernization Act-food safety certificate) for access to the international market. This distinction, which marks the end of the first wave of the certification process for processing units initiated by the Council and the American firm Ivory Cashew, is part of the vast project to facilitate cashew kernel exports to the United States. the United States and the rest of the world, explained Dr. Adama Coulibaly, Director General of the Cotton and Cashew Council. “This certification program started on May 17 with a first wave of 13 processing units, a second wave of audits is underway and concerns 10 new processing units. Other processing units are waiting for a third wave," he recalled, adding that the cotton and cashew council has not only set its sights on processing at least 50% of raw cashew nuts (NBC) by 2025, but it is also committed to meeting the challenge of the quality of almonds of Ivorian origin on the international market. "The certification process conducted by a team of American auditors took place in 3 phases, namely the theoretical training phase of the quality managers on the standards, an audit phase on the site of the production units sanctioned by a report audit and finally an evaluation phase and the implementation of the corrective measures prescribed by the audit with a view to FSMA certification", indicated the general manager of Ivory Cashew, Losséni Koné. Long before, the Minister of State, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Kobenan Kouassi Adjoumani, who had by his side the Minister of Trade and Industry, Souleymane Diarrassouba, was delighted that today Today, cashew kernels of Ivorian origin can access the international market in general and the American market in particular. For the Minister, this certificate is not an end, but it must be seen as a commitment to produce quality products, to serve as a model for other cashew processing units and even for the entire agro-industry. Ivorian, in order to reassure trading partners. First producer of raw cashew nuts with 968,000 tonnes marketed during the 2021 campaign, Côte d'Ivoire has recently risen to the rank of third largest exporter of cashew kernels behind Vietnam and India with more than 30,000 tonnes exported in 2021.