• Guinea-Bissau now expects to export 250,000 tons of cashew nuts in 2025, up 25% from its initial forecast.
• The country has already exported 180,000 tons since the campaign began in February.
• Cashew exports generated CFA132.8 billion ($219 million) in 2023, accounting for 93% of national export revenues.

Guinea-Bissau revised its 2025 cashew export forecast upward to 250,000 tons as higher farm-gate prices and tighter anti-smuggling measures boost official shipments, according to Lassana Fati, the country’s Director-General of Foreign Trade.

Fati said on Thursday, August 9, that exporters have already shipped 180,000 tons since the marketing campaign began in February, the Guinea-Bissau Press Agency (ANG) reported. The new target represents a 25% increase from the 200,000 tons initially projected at the start of the season.

Fati attributed the stronger performance to improved producer prices, which encouraged farmers to sell their harvest through official channels. He also cited enhanced efforts to curb smuggling, including the deployment of specialized agents working alongside the National Guard to monitor trade flows.

Cashew remains the cornerstone of Guinea-Bissau’s export economy, alongside minimal diversification. According to data from the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), cashew exports generated CFA132.8 billion ($219.3 million) in 2023, making up 93% of the country’s total export revenues.

This article was initially published in French by Stéphanas Assocle

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum