The Groupement des transformateurs de cajou ivoiriens (GTCI), representing national processors handling 100,000 tonnes of raw cashew nuts annually, has praised a groundbreaking financing agreement signed on June 11, 2026. The deal involves the Banque nationale d’investissement (BNI), the Conseil du Coton et de l’Anacarde (CCA), and local cashew processors to secure raw nut supply and operational costs.
Local operators have taken bold steps by investing in factory construction and expansion, driving industrialization in the sector, boosting added value, and strengthening the national economy. In a July 17, 2026 letter addressed to the Presidency, Vice-Presidency, Prime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé, the Vice-Premier Minister, the Minister of Industry, the BNI, and the CCA, Denis Kouadio, GTCI President, expressed deep appreciation for authorities and institutions behind this innovative financing mechanism.
The group highlighted how this support directly benefits processors facing challenges in raw nut procurement, processing efficiency, and securing substantial financing lines during the short commercialization window. The need to purchase raw nuts quickly to meet annual production demands has long been a critical hurdle.
For the GTCI, this tripartite agreement marks a pivotal moment for the industry. It aims to enhance local processing capacity, stabilize raw nut supply for industrial units, and improve access to financing for processors.
The program ensures that the CCA supplies processors with 20% of their annual raw nut needs at the start of the season. The BNI finances the remaining 80%, covering operational and export requirements.
Denis Kouadio also acknowledged key figures instrumental in finalizing this project, including Vice-Premier Minister Téné Birahima Ouattara, Minister of Commerce and Industry Khalil Konaté, Minister of Economy and Finance Adama Coulibaly, Mamadou Berté (CCA Director-General), Youssouf Fadika (BNI Director-General), and Jérôme Ahua (BNI Deputy Director-General). Their collaboration resulted in this innovative, sustainable financing model that supports national investors.
This initiative’s success in fostering national champions in local cashew processing has paved the way for expansion. Discussions are underway to adapt the model to the cocoa processing sector, aiming to replicate its benefits for national cocoa processors.
Côte d’Ivoire’s Cashew Industry: A Global Leader Poised for Growth
As the world’s top producer of raw cashew nuts, with an annual output of about 1.5 million tonnes, Côte d’Ivoire operates 37 processing plants with a combined capacity exceeding 830,000 tonnes. With a 43% local processing rate, the country ranks second among cashew kernel exporters and third globally in processing output, according to 2025 International Trade Centre data.
Having already strengthened its raw nut production, Côte d’Ivoire is now focusing on accelerating local processing. The goal is to retain more added value domestically, bolster the industrial base, and create additional jobs.
