At a Glance
- Africa dominates raw cashew supply but lags in processing and downstream value capture.
- Large farms anchor rural jobs while feeding export markets across Asia, Europe and Africa.
- Value addition and improved varieties position African farms as global agribusiness leaders.
Africa has quietly become the world’s engine room for cashew production, supplying more than half of global raw cashew nuts while capturing only a fraction of the downstream value.
From Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria to Tanzania and Mozambique, vast plantations anchor rural economies, employ millions, and feed processing hubs across Asia, Europe, and increasingly Africa itself.
Cashew is now one of the continent’s most strategic non-oil export crops, valued for its resilience to dry climates, rising global demand, and expanding use in food, cosmetics, and plant-based nutrition.
In West Africa, especially in Côte d’Ivoire, cashew is largely cultivated through large cooperatives and extensive estates
Still, the opportunity is enormous. With improved varieties, local value addition, and sustainable practices, Africa’s largest cashew farms are positioning themselves not just as suppliers of raw nuts, but as global agribusiness players shaping a high-growth market.
Shore Africa profiles 10 of Africa’s biggest cashew farming operations, driving scale, exports, and transformation across the value chain.
1. Olam Cashew Plantations — Côte d’Ivoire
Olam operates large-scale cashew estates and sourcing networks across Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s top producer. Its vertically integrated model spans farming, processing, and exports, anchoring the country’s push to retain more value locally.
2. Valency Agro Farms — Nigeria
Valency Agro controls extensive cashew plantations in eastern Nigeria, supplying its processing facilities and export markets. The company plays a key role in Nigeria’s ambition to become a leading processed-cashew exporter.
3. Mim Cashew & Agricultural Products — Ghana
Based in northern Ghana, Mim Cashew manages large plantations and processing lines, supplying premium kernels to Europe and the U.S. It is a major employer and exporter within Ghana’s fast-growing cashew belt.
4. Kondiagui Cashew Estates — Burkina Faso
This operation ranks among Burkina Faso’s largest organized cashew farms, supporting the country’s emergence as a significant West African producer despite infrastructure and climate constraints.
5. Cashew Coast Cooperative Farms — Côte d’Ivoire
A cluster of large estates and coordinated outgrowers, Cashew Coast benefits from state-backed reforms, improved seedlings, and export-linked pricing mechanisms.
6. Magdavies Agro-industrial Company Ltd — Nigeria
Magdavies Agro-industrial Company is one of the largest single plantations in West Africa, Magdavies covers over 500 hectares of cashew and mixed crops in Saki, Oyo State, with structured export and production operations.
7. Korosho Mozambique Ltd. — Mozambique
Korosho Mozambique Ltd. – A major commercial cashew farm and supply operation anchored in Nampula province, Korosho works with thousands of smallholders and large plantations to supply high-volume raw cashew nut (RCN) exports. Supported by sustainability and supply chain strengthening programmes, it leads structured production that feeds processing and export markets.
8. Inati Group Cashew Farms — Mozambique
Inati’s estates integrate farming, processing, and ethical sourcing, helping Mozambique reclaim its historical status as a global cashew powerhouse.
9. Universal Agro Processors Ltd Cashew Farm
Universal Agro Processors Ltd Cashew Farm, Uganda, reported 400-acre ( about 162 hectares) cashew nut estate in Nakasongola district, one of Uganda’s biggest single commercial cashew farms, focused on expansion and crop performance.
10. Kukaye Limited— Tanzania
Kukaye Limited has a significant presence in Nanyumbu, Mtwara, where it operates one of the largest cashew farms in the region and is constructing a cashew nut processing plant.
