The fifth edition of cashew exporters ended Friday February 16 in Abidjan. Ivory Coast is the second largest exporter of cashew kernels in the world after Vietnam. But to cope with the vagaries of the international market, the world’s leading cashew producer is increasing incentive measures to encourage the processing of nuts on site.
1 min
With our correspondent in Abidjan, Bineta Diagne
Until then, Ivory Coast exports a large part of its cashew nut production: India and Vietnam are its two main customers. Last year, these two countries purchased almost 900,000 tonnes of nuts. Despite this trend, actors are now banking on transformation in Ivory Coast. For this, a series of incentive measures have been taken to encourage entrepreneurs to get started.
Adama Coulibaly is the president of the Coton Anacard Council: “ In 2023, nearly 20 billion in subsidies will have been distributed to consumers. Almonds that are produced and exported are not taxed. You have exemptions on equipment that is imported. And we have developed agro-industrial zones. »
Mohamed Diaouné is one of the entrepreneurs who are now integrating a processing factory into their activities. This young man has a factory in Kankan, Guinea. He should inaugurate another in Ivory Coast very soon: “ We are doing much better, especially over the last two years. There was a sale of raw nuts and this was an opportunity for us to have the raw material cheaper. And our fixed costs have remained the same so that means that over the last two years in terms of processing, it has been a good business for us. »
Ivory Coast produces 1.2 tonnes of raw nuts. Currently, 22% is processed on site.