Burkina Faso has decided to maintain the minimum farmgate price of cashew nuts at 385 FCFA/kg for the 2026 season, in order to secure supplies for local processing plants and support the industrialization of the cashew sector.
Context of the Decision
The minimum farmgate price of raw cashew nuts in Burkina Faso remains set at 385 FCFA/kg for the 2026 season, exactly the same level as in 2025. This decision was announced in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso by the Minister of Agriculture during the official launch of the fruit campaigns.
In an environment marked by uncertainties regarding global demand and an anticipated market slowdown in 2026, the Burkinabe authorities are opting for price stability rather than a downward adjustment, unlike some neighboring countries. This approach aligns with the vision of local processing of raw materials championed by the transitional authorities.
Comparison with Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana
While Burkina Faso maintains its price at 385 FCFA/kg, its major producing neighbors have adopted different strategies. The Burkinabe price remains lower than that of Côte d’Ivoire and significantly lower than that of Ghana, which improves the cost competitiveness of local processors while providing producers with greater visibility.
Objective: Supporting Local Processing
The authorities are adopting an approach focused on local processing rather than simply exporting raw nuts. The objective is twofold: to guarantee industrial units stable and sufficient access to raw materials, and to capture more added value within the country.
To achieve this, several measures are being implemented:
- Establishment of an exclusive purchasing period from February 21 to April 1, reserved for national processors and SONAGESS, during which exports of raw nuts are suspended.
- Provision of equipment and financing to processing units, particularly through projects like ProMUTAB, to increase their capacity and competitiveness.
- Regulatory measures (temporary export bans in 2025, flow controls) to ensure that factories operate closer to their installed capacity.
Despite an estimated processing potential of over 30,000 tons since 2021, the country was only processing about 10% of its harvest (16,000 tons) in 2024, hence the desire to reverse this trend.
Economic importance of the cashew sector
The cashew sector has become a significant component of Burkina Faso’s rural economy, involving tens of thousands of producers and rapidly expanding cultivated areas. Cashew plantations covered over 670,000 hectares in 2023, with an annual production approaching 183,000 tons, and a recent peak of nearly 148,000 tons in 2024 according to some estimates.
Regionally, West Africa remains a major cashew-producing hub, even though the 2024 harvest declined by more than 15% compared to 2023. Countries like Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Guinea-Bissau dominate production, which positions Burkina Faso to differentiate itself through its local processing policy.
Challenges for producers and processors
Maintaining the price at 385 FCFA/kg presents both opportunities and challenges for the various actors in the value chain.
For producers:
- A stable floor price limits the risk of a sharp drop in income in an uncertain international context.
- The price, however, remains lower than that offered in some neighboring countries, which could fuel frustration or the risk of informal withdrawals from production.
For processors:
- A controlled and secure price, coupled with an exclusive purchasing period, helps guarantee the supply of raw cashew nuts and improve visibility for investments.
- The challenge remains to rapidly increase actual processing capacity, strengthening the quality, productivity, and access to international markets for processed products (kernels, value-added shells, derivatives).
The 2026 season will be crucial in measuring the effectiveness of this strategy: the central question is whether the combination of a stable price and preference given to local processors will truly boost the industrialization of the cashew sector in Burkina Faso.
