As the world’s leading cashew producer, Côte d’Ivoire has ambitious ambitions for 2030. The country wants to locally process 50% of its cashew harvest, an objective that is based on the development of national industrial capacity and on increased support for private investment. This strategy is part of a desire to capture more added value and create sustainable jobs, while supporting the local economy. A major launch for cashew processing On January 27, 2025, the Ivorian Minister of Trade and Industry, Souleymane Diarrassouba, inaugurated a new cashew processing unit in Attinguié, as part of this strategy. With a total cost of 24 billion FCFA (approximately $15.8 million), this facility, built by the Singaporean company Valency International, has an impressive processing capacity of 45,000 tons of cashew nuts per year. This launch marks a high point in the Ivorian cashew processing industry, which continues to grow rapidly. In 2024, local manufacturers processed a total of 344,000 tons of cashew nuts, a record that places Côte d’Ivoire as the world’s 3rd largest processor, behind Vietnam and India. Optimistic outlook for 2025 and beyond The momentum of the cashew processing sector in Côte d’Ivoire is expected to continue in 2025 with very positive forecasts. Ivorian authorities are aiming to process 400,000 tons of cashew nuts this year, or approximately 34.7% of the expected total harvest of 1.15 million tons. To achieve these goals, the government has established an exclusive period for local processors, which runs from January 24 to March 15, 2025. During this period, local processors will benefit from priority access to raw nuts before the market opens for export. This support aims to ensure that local production is maximized. An expansion of the processing sector The planned increase in processing capacity is also based on the new units commissioned in 2024, which are expected to reach full capacity in 2025. For example, the company Ecocajou, specializing in the cashew nut trade, launched a unit in Odiénné in June 2024, capable of processing up to 15,000 tons of nuts per year. A month later, the Emirati company Pan African Agro Commodities (PAAC) launched its processing unit in Boundiali, with an initial capacity of 18,000 tonnes, which could eventually be increased to 150,000 tonnes. Foreign investments to boost processing As part of the Cashew Sector Investment Forum, held on 23 September 2024 in Abidjan, commitment agreements were concluded between the Cotton and Cashew Council and three foreign companies. These agreements represent a total investment of $28 million in cashew processing projects, a strong signal of international investors’ confidence in the potential of this strategic sector. Recently, in November 2024, the cashew sector regulator signed an agreement with the Emirati company Rosyson, which plans to invest $24 million in the construction of a new plant capable of processing 60,000 tons of cashew nuts per year. This type of investment demonstrates the growing commitment of foreign players to contribute to the modernization of the Ivorian sector. A promising future for cashew processing in Côte d’Ivoire Côte d’Ivoire is resolutely taking the turn of cashew processing. Thanks to active state support, growing private investment and clear objectives for 2030, the country is well positioned to become a major player in the field of processing this raw material. This local processing will not only capture a greater share of added value, but also create thousands of jobs while strengthening the Ivorian economy.