• The government set a minimum farm gate price for shea nuts at CFA250 CFA ($0.44) per kilogram.
• The government suspended raw shea nut exports to boost local processing.
• Over 152,000 women in Ivory Coast earn incomes from the shea sector.

Ivory Coast, part of the so-called "shea belt" alongside Nigeria, Mali, and Burkina Faso, remains a key global supplier of shea nuts. The 2025/2026 season kicked off on August 18 with new government measures designed to enhance sector performance.

The campaign's official launch was announced on August 13 in Yamoussoukro by Kobénan Kouassi Adjoumani, the country’s Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food Production. He set a minimum farm gate price of CFA250 ($0.44) per kilogram for well-dried and well-sorted shea almonds.

While exact harvest projections remain unavailable, several indicators point to an expected increase in supply this year. Notably, the Ivorian government suspended raw shea nut exports in January to prioritize local processors’ needs. Annual shea nut production is officially estimated at 250,000 tons, with about a third processed domestically. Some industry experts, however, believe the country’s production potential could approach 400,000 tons annually.

During the Council of Ministers meeting on April 23, the Ivorian government assigned the regulation of the shea sector to the Cotton and Cashew Council, aiming to improve budget management and address marketing and production challenges more efficiently.

Authorities see a strategic need to prioritize processing activities as the shea butter market experiences rapid growth, fueled by rising demand from the cosmetics and food industries. According to analysis by Grand View Research, the global shea butter market was valued at $2.41 billion in 2024 and is projected to expand at an annual rate of 7.9%, reaching $3.74 billion by 2030.

In Ivory Coast, over 152,000 women currently derive their livelihoods from the shea sector, underscoring the importance of better organization as both an economic growth opportunity and a social development tool for rural communities.

This article was initially published in French by Stéphanas Assocle

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum