Ivory Coast is the world's leading cashew-growing country. But today, the region is in crisis, due to restrictive movement measures against coronavirus.
In Ivory Coast, cashew industry depends 90% on exports. Farmers sell nuts to cooperatives or intermediate buyers at a government minumum price. This year, it is 400 CFA or about 60 euros. But only 10% of raw cashew is processed in Ivory Coast. The rest is exported to India and Vietnam, where processing plants are located.
In the face of coronaviruses, these Asian countries have set up strict blockade and containment, so processing plants have stopped working and commercial intermediaries can no longer export goods and farmers are forced to sell at a discount
At that time, the people most affected were the farming farmers, who were completely withdrawn. Sometimes they harvest with one or two tons of goods on hand. Some traditional traders no longer buy anything from them and other traders have the opportunity to buy at low prices.
Zéphirin, a 60-year-old farmer, has agreed to sell his cashews at low prices to reduce debt. "They are illegal buyers. They say the price is 300, 200 ... We too, we have problems, we are in the village, we are forced to sell. That's why I sell 9 bags, "he said. There are many farmers in Zéphirin's case who have difficulty raising a family. Another problem is that if they hold the product for too long in bad conditions, the nuts can get wet and rot.
Aid plan of 53 million euros
The government has launched a media campaign, which is taking place right now. The goal is to connect farmers who have unsold products and cooperatives who respect the floor price. Then there is a large aid plan to support economic entities. The government has committed 53 million euros for cashew industry. But Amadou Traoré, president of the Coop-ca-vica cooperative in the central part of the country, has yet to see anything. "We heard from the media that there was funding in the agricultural sector, but we have not received any help from anyone."
Finally, there is another challenge that this crisis has really become worse, that is transformation. Ivory Coast is too dependent on exports. The government is aware of this, they also know that processing can improve the living conditions of 250,000 cashew growers. That's why they want to produce between 10% and 50% by 2023.
RFI source
