ACA calls for Enhanced Partnership between Africa and India in Cashew Industry Development
The African Cashew Alliance (ACA) has called for deeper collaboration between Africa and India that goes beyond trade in Raw Cashew Nuts (RCN) to include long-term investment and joint development of the cashew industry.
This call was made by the Board President of the ACA, Mr. Ibrahim Sanfo on Friday, 25th July 2025, when he participated in a high-level panel discussion on the topic, “Securing Raw Cashew Supplies from Africa – What Should We Do?” at the 2nd All India Cashew Association (AICA) Cashew Convention in Mahabalipuram, India.
Mr. Sanfo highlighted the long-standing relationship between India, the world’s biggest cashew market, and African cashew producing countries, which produce over 57% of global cashew nuts. This partnership, he said, enables India to import over 1 million tons of RCN from Africa annually to meet its domestic market demand.
He noted that while this strong demand for RCN from India and Vietnam drives prices up in Africa, hence beneficial to producers, it has negative impacts on local processing units.
“On one hand, the strong demand results in higher prices which is good for farmers. However, this rise in prices becomes a challenge for local processing units, most of which find it difficult to secure enough RCN for their operations,” he said.
He called for enhanced collaboration that goes beyond raw cashew trade, emphasizing the need to create meaningful opportunities for industry actors.
He believed a direct partnership between African countries and Indian buyers through signing of Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) will provide clarity on trading pattens and guidelines, while ensuring processing technology transfer between India and African countries.
Mr. Sanfo reiterated the ACA’s commitment to working with all stakeholders to create a conducive policy environment that attracts direct Indian investment into Africa’s cashew industry, especially in setting up factories in Africa.
Touching on existing policies and ongoing reforms in various African countries, he emphasized that government interventions in the cashew industry have mainly been to properly regulate the industry and to protect local processors, and in some cases foreign investments in the processing subsector.
“Most countries use policies such as RCN export taxes, export suspensions and bans as well as the buying window to protect local cashew processors and to encourage investment into processing in Africa,” he highlighted.
He assured the AICA and the business community in India of the ACA’s readiness to work with governments to safeguard investments.
He also called for strengthened partnership with the ACA to engage African governments, both directly and through the Consultative International Cashew Council (CICC), in advocating for the introduction and effective implementation of policies that can transform the cashew industry.
Mr. Sanfo also took the opportunity to extend a warm invitation to cashew industry players in India and around the world to attend the 19th ACA Annual Cashew Conference and Expo, scheduled for 18th to 21st November 2025 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, under the theme “Unlocking Cashew Investment Opportunities for Sustainable Economic Growth.”
Other speakers on the panel included, Mr. Alfred Francis, the Director General of the Cashewnut Board of Tanzania; Mr. Alex N’guettia Assouman from the Association of Cashew nuts Exporters of Cote d’Ivoire; Mr. Godfrey Malekano, CEO of Tanzania Mercantile Exchange; and Mr. Pierre Alexandre Lette from the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Senegal.
