The 2026-2027 shea nut marketing campaign in Côte d’Ivoire was officially launched on Friday, August 14, 2026, at a conference in Deux Plateaux Vallon. The announcement was made by Jérôme Ehui, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Cotton, Cashew, and Shea Council (CCA-K), who took the opportunity to present the main measures adopted for this campaign. The stated objective is to build a better structured, more competitive shea sector that generates greater value and wealth for producers, processors, and the Ivorian economy.
Therefore, for the 2026-2027 season, the minimum farmgate price is set at 250 FCFA/kg for well-dried, well-sorted shea kernels free of foreign matter. The inland buyer’s price is set at 275 FCFA/kg, while the factory gate price is 305 FCFA/kg.
Jérôme Ehui also announced that purchases from collectors and buyers are exclusively reserved for processing units until further notice. Through this measure, the Council intends to better control marketing channels and promote the supply of local industrial units. Furthermore, he added that the transfer of shea kernels by truck to factories will only be authorized starting this Monday, August 17, 2026. Moreover, the export of shea nuts and kernels across land borders is strictly prohibited in order to promote local processing and increase the added value generated in Côte d’Ivoire.
Reviewing the results of the 2025-2026 season, the Chairman of the Board indicated that the sector recorded 51,697 tons of shea kernels in the formal marketing channels, all of which were destined for local processing units. The farmgate price of shea kernels, set at 250 CFA francs/kg, fluctuated between 250 and 350 CFA francs/kg during the season, with an average price of 275 CFA francs/kg.
During the 2025-2026 season, 14,078 tons of shea butter were exported to thirteen (13) countries in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. 168 buyers, 21 processing units, and 32 exporters were identified. These encouraging results stem from the initial regulatory measures implemented by the Government through the Cotton, Cashew, and Shea Council (CCA-K). These measures include the identification and characterization of stakeholders involved in marketing, as well as the implementation of tools to ensure better traceability of operations. Simultaneously, work is underway to develop and implement a comprehensive reform aimed at sustainably strengthening the governance, transparency, and efficiency of the sector. Côte d’Ivoire currently has approximately twenty processing units, with an estimated installed industrial capacity of around 130,000 tons of kernels per year. Through these various measures, the Cotton, Cashew, and Shea Council aims to strengthen governance of the sector, improve product quality, and accelerate local processing. The shea sector represents a significant economic and social opportunity for rural communities, particularly for women in northern Côte d’Ivoire.