• Côte d’Ivoire projects record 1.5 million tons of cashew production in 2025, up 59% from last year
• Growth driven by anti-smuggling efforts and higher farmgate prices, with 1.39 million tons already recorded
• 100,000 tons remain unsold amid weaker Asian demand and U.S. tariffs on Vietnamese exports while stock quality is declining

Côte d'Ivoire's cashew production is projected to reach 1.5 million tons this year, Mamadou Berté, Director General of the Cotton and Cashew Council (CCA), announced on Tuesday, July 15.

If achieved, this target would represent an approximate 59% increase over last year and establish a new record for Abidjan. It would also mark the third time the country has surpassed the one-million-tonne threshold, following achievements in 2022 and 2023. According to Berté, Côte d'Ivoire initially aimed for 1.15 million tons at the start of the campaign but has already officially recorded 1.39 million tonnes.

This growth is largely attributed to efforts to curb smuggling in the country's northern and eastern regions. An improved farmgate price of 425 CFA francs per kilogram this year, up from 275 CFA in 2024, has also contributed. This increase has narrowed the price gap with Ghana and Burkina Faso, where the price stands at 385 CFA/kg.

"We are going to renew the border security operation with the gendarmerie and even turn it into a new national policy for the cashew sector," Berté emphasized.

In a season expected to extend until August, longer than the usual June close, Berté also noted that negotiations are underway to find buyers for 100,000 tons of cashew nuts still held in stock by producers in growing areas.

This situation stems from a suspension of orders by Asian buyers. This followed U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of 46% tariffs on Vietnam, the world’s leading importer of raw nuts and top exporter of cashew kernels. Subsequently, on July 2, the administration confirmed a 20% customs tariff on Vietnamese exports to the U.S., along with a 40% tax on transshipments through Vietnam originating from third countries.

In its latest cashew market report, independent analyst service N'kalô raised concerns about the quality of stock remaining with producers. "The quality of residual stocks continues to deteriorate due to humidity and lack of infrastructure at the producer level. The CCA’s group sales operations are ongoing, but the current quality won’t allow this to continue much longer," the July 11 market bulletin warned.

Espoir Olodo