Côte d’Ivoire: cashew harvest woes hit bounkani region
In Côte d’Ivoire, the annual cashew marketing season is currently underway. The Cotton and Cashew Council projects a national production of just over 1.3 million tonnes of nuts this year. While still a substantial figure, this represents a potential decrease of 200,000 tonnes compared to the previous year. Various regions across the country are grappling with challenges, particularly due to altered rainfall patterns. This issue is acutely felt in Bounkani, located in the northeastern part of the nation.
From our special correspondent returning from Bouna,
Kouamé Ouattara, a farmer in Bouna, manages a cashew orchard spanning three hectares. This season, he feels he is effectively out of work, as his trees have yielded almost nothing. “Three years ago, I could harvest 500 kilograms per hectare. But now, I can’t even collect two bags from all three hectares,” he lamented.
Ouattara attributes this dire situation to a significant disruption in the rainy season. “Normally, we expect substantial rainfall between November and December, which is crucial for cashew trees to flower. However, this year, the rains ceased in October,” he explained. “October, November, December, January, February – there was no rain. Once the flowering period fails, one must wait until the following year. Consequently, this year’s campaign has failed.”
The ripple effect extends to local beekeepers, who place their hives within cashew plantations. Koffi Ouattara, president of the Koflangué beekeepers’ association, reported severely diminished honey production. “We don’t have enough honey right now,” he stated. “Last year, we produced 100 liters of honey. This year, it’s only 30 liters. For us, this represents a considerable loss.”
Addressing cultivation practices
Beyond the undeniable climatic factors, Dr. Sibirina Soro, a research professor at the University of Daloa and coordinator of the national cashew research project, points to inadequate cultivation practices as another contributing cause. “Much of this is largely linked to orchard density. Many orchards resemble forests; the initial planting density was not maintained,” he elaborated. “Today, we are advising planters to rehabilitate these orchards to achieve optimal density. The recommended average is 100 trees per hectare.”
Dr. Soro also organizes annual training sessions focused on combating insect pests. He advocates for enhanced support for farmers, noting that Ivorian cashew producers typically do not use chemical products in their fields. This reliance on natural methods leaves them more susceptible to significant losses when harvests are poor.