Ivory Coast cashew nut processing industry needs more support from the government

In recent years, Ivory Coast - the world's largest cocoa producer, has become the leading cashew grower with an output of about 1 million tons per year. The country uses only about 10% of its production and exports the rest of its raw materials. The government of this country has been trying for years to increase the rate of cashew processing in the country, but Ivory Coast's producers do not have enough funds to compete with Asian raw cashew producers. “We are sending this letter to inform the producers that the plan cannot be implemented”, the letter was signed by Constance Kouame, general secretary of the Ivory Coast Cashew Producers Association, to government on Tuesday (March 15). “The processing season started a month ago and our factories remain idle due to lack of support plans,” she added. Eight of Ivory Coast's twenty manufacturing companies have gone bankrupt in the past two years. Others are operating at a loss. According to the general manager of one of these ...