Ivory Coast, the world’s leading producer of cashew nuts, has set the farmgate price at 400 CFA francs per kilogram for the 2026 main harvest, a slight decrease from the 425 CFA francs/kg of 2025, in a context of tight international markets.

A Prudent Price in the Face of Global Realities

The Minister of Agriculture, Bruno Nabagné Koné, announced this decision on February 6, 2026, in Yamoussoukro, during the National Days of Cashew, Cotton, and Shea Producers. This price reflects a delicate balancing act: protecting the incomes of the 800,000 farmers while preserving the sector’s competitiveness in the face of a slowdown in global demand and a depreciation of the dollar (from 620 CFA francs in 2025 to 565 CFA francs today).

“Setting a prudent yet protective price is essential to ensure the sale of all national production while safeguarding producers’ incomes,” explained Minister Koné.

Context: External pressures and price volatility

Several factors explain this decline:

• Depressed global market: restrictive US tariffs and slowing Asian demand (India, Vietnam) are weighing on prices;
• Weak dollar: the unfavorable exchange rate mechanically reduces export revenues in CFA francs;
• Record production expected: between 1.2 and 1.5 million tons projected for 2026, compared to 1.1 million in 2025, necessitating a sustainable price for total sales.

At 400 CFA francs/kg, the price remains at the high end of the range of the last seven years (275–425 CFA francs), protecting the purchasing power of farmers in the Bondoukou, Korhogo, and Abengourou regions.

A revisable floor price with a review clause

Good news for producers: this price constitutes a guaranteed minimum, which may be revised upwards at the end of April 2026, after an assessment of world prices and the dollar/FCFA exchange rate. “If the situation improves, a price revision could be decided, as has already been the case in previous seasons,” promised Bruno Nabagné Koné.

The government is also committed to providing financial support to compensate for any potential losses, on the instructions of President Ouattara, who remains committed to the strategy of supporting strategic rural sectors.

Cashew nuts already generate 15% of Ivorian agricultural export revenue and directly employ 800,000 families. At 400 FCFA/kg, an average farmer (2 ha, 2 T/ha) will receive approximately 1.6 million FCFA per season, a stable figure despite the price reduction.

Stakeholder Reactions and Outlook

Producer organizations greeted the price with a mixture of resignation and hope:

• Positive: guaranteed full sales through the Cotton and Cashew Council (CCA) and a state safety net;
• Concerns: insufficient mechanization, Vietnamese competition (local processing), and climate risks.

The government is counting on:

• Local processing: 45 operational factories (capacity 800,000 tons/year), with a target of 60% processing by 2030;
• Diversification: support for kernels (almonds) and co-products (shells for energy).

For Côte d’Ivoire, the world leader with 45% of production, maintaining 400 FCFA/kg in a constrained market means consolidating its position while preserving rural social peace. The April review will be crucial.