Cashew boom in Côte d’Ivoire: added value grows, pressure on landscapes persists

Abidjan – 21 July 2026: The cashew sector in Côte d’Ivoire continues to gain economic importance. A recent report by Franceinfo focuses on the other side of this expanding business: while new processing plants create income and jobs, the expansion of cultivation areas may increase pressure on sensitive forest and savannah landscapes.

Demand for cashew kernels, including on the French market, is driving the industrialization of the value chain in this West African country. Instead of mainly exporting raw materials, the aim is for more nuts to be shelled, processed and sold within the country as higher-value products. This means that a larger share of added value remains with local producers, workers and companies.

The expansion is already clearly measurable. According to industry data, around 43 percent of Côte d’Ivoire’s cashew harvest was processed in the country in 2025. During the first five months of 2026, exports of cashew kernels increased sharply compared with the same period of the previous year. As a result, Côte d’Ivoire has strengthened its position as an important international supplier of processed cashew products.

Government measures support this development. To supply local factories, exports of raw cashew nuts were temporarily restricted. In addition, support instruments are in place for processors, including financial incentives for kernel exports and facilitations for importing industrial equipment. According to industry data, around 40 processing plants are already operating in the country, compared with only a few ten years ago.

For many rural families, cultivation is an important source of income. Cashew production is considered a relatively resilient crop and can thrive in drier regions. However, the expansion of plantations can create land-use conflicts if trees are felled or natural areas are converted. Environmental organizations had already warned in previous years about risks to biodiversity and forest protection.

Economic benefits and ecological risks therefore coexist. The sustainable development of the sector depends on additional yields being achieved primarily through better harvests, the modernization of existing plantations and more efficient processing. Verifiable origin data, controls against illegal logging and the protection of valuable natural areas are also crucial.

Côte d’Ivoire is also seeking to generate added value from industrial by-products. In June, a plant was inaugurated near Abidjan that converts cashew shell waste into biochar and other industrial products. Projects of this kind can reduce waste. However, they do not replace the need to link the expansion of the cashew economy to binding environmental standards and effective land-use planning.