Côte d'Ivoire crackdown on cashew nut smuggling pays off

Côte d'Ivoire cashew nut output is forecast steady in 2026 at between 1.5 million and 1.7 million metric tons due to a crackdown on smuggling and favorable weather conditions, the general director of the Cotton and Cashew Council Mamadou Berte told reporters on Saturday.

Côte d'Ivoire is the world's top cashew producer and exporter.

Last year, output stood at 1.54 million tons.

Berte said the minimum guaranteed farmgate price is set at 400 CFA francs per kg in 2026 compared with 425 CFA francs last year.

He said the new marketing season will open on Monday.

Côte d'Ivoire has stepped up its fight against cocoa and cashew smuggling with the help of special units that carried out targeted checks and surveillance operations on the eastern and northern borders.