The President of Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traore, has today, officially laid the foundation stone for a new cashew nuts processing plant in Péni, a small town situated about 30 kilometers from Bobo-Dioulasso.
The new plant, which will be built at a cost of $11.8 million, is expected to be completed by December 2025. It is a key part of President Traoré’s vision to prioritize the transformation, promotion, and enhancement of local products as part of the country’s broader industrial development strategy.
The goal of the plant is to add value to the cashew fruit and reduce post-harvest losses by attracting more stakeholders to the sector. Burkina Faso has immense potential in cashew production, with over two million tons of cashew fruit being produced annually.
Before now, Burkina Faso used to export raw cashew nuts only. The new factory will change this by transforming the entire cashew fruit into various products such as juice, wine, concentrates, ethanol, and vinegar.
According to Ouémihié Clément ATTIOU, the Director General of the Burkina Faso Council for Agricultural and Fisheries Sectors, the factory will not only improve the local economy but also serve as a model for expanding cashew fruit processing in other regions of the country. The government has plans to replicate this model in Orodara, Banfora, and Gaoua, all areas known for their rich cashew production.
The Péni processing plant will enhance Burkina Faso’s industrial fabric and contribute to the country’s economic recovery. With an annual processing capacity of 5,000 tons of cashew fruit, the facility is expected to create 112 direct jobs and approximately 1,050 indirect jobs, boosting the local economy and providing new opportunities for employment.
This initiative is a significant step in diversifying the country’s agricultural value chains, aligning with the government’s broader objectives of industrializing local economies and reducing dependency on raw material exports.
Source: Presidency of Burkina Faso Communications Directorate
