2025-12-30 17:00:00
In an update published by Punch, cashew farmers under the National Cashew Association of Nigeria urged the Federal Government to drop proposals to restrict or ban raw cashew exports, warning it could hurt livelihoods and non-oil export earnings.
Stakeholders argue Nigeria lacks sufficient processing capacity to absorb output, meaning a clampdown could depress farm-gate prices and trigger job losses across trading and logistics chains.
Supporters of restrictions say processors need protection from foreign buyers, but opponents insist the better fix is investment in processing plants, not an export ban.
The Guardian quoted a stakeholder warning, “If the government bans raw cashew export, 95 per cent of what we produce will be left to rot.” NCAN’s Dr Joseph Ajanaku was quoted saying, “we can’t accept that and you cannot ban the export of raw cashew nuts in Nigeria.”
Echotitbits take: If value-add is the goal, sequencing matters—processing capacity first, restrictions later (if ever). Watch for incentives (tax breaks, credit, export-processing zones) that expand local processing without crushing rural incomes.
Source: The Punch— December 29, 2025 (https://punchng.com/cashew-farmers-oppose-export-ban/)
The Punch 2025-12-29
Photo Credit: The Punch
