Usibras imports Ivorian cashew kernels to sustain factory operations

Usibras, a leading cashew processing firm in Ghana, has begun importing semi-processed kernels from Côte d’Ivoire to maintain its factory operations. The company cited high domestic farm-gate prices and aggressive competition from foreign buyers as the primary drivers for this shift. Despite being one of the country’s major industrial processors, the firm has found it increasingly difficult to procure raw cashew nuts (RCN) within Ghana, highlighting a significant gap between local processing capacity and the availability of raw materials.

The scale of the procurement crisis is reflected in the company’s recent performance figures. During the last harvest season, Usibras managed to purchase only 6,500 tonnes of raw nuts, representing just 19% of its total installed processing capacity. This shortfall has had immediate consequences for the local labor market, forcing the company to slash its workforce by 50%. Management noted that current regulatory frameworks allow for the largely unregulated export of raw cashew nuts, which places domestic processors at a severe competitive disadvantage against foreign buyers.

Usibras has issued a stern warning regarding its future in the country, stating it may exit the Ghanaian market entirely by 2027 if significant policy interventions are not implemented. Such a withdrawal would result in the loss of approximately US$17 million in economic activity for the local communities where the processor operates. Industry stakeholders are now calling for urgent government action to regulate RCN exports and provide a more supportive environment for domestic value addition to protect local jobs.