Anger has escalated among cashew nut producers, collectors, and exporters. On June 15, Ziguinchor came to a standstill: shops closed, warehouses locked, and transactions suspended. Those involved in the sector declared a day of protest to denounce the imposition of an additional tax of 20 francs per kilo, on top of the 32 francs already approved and voted on by the National Assembly.

“We are frustrated and shocked. We can’t understand how a campaign can start and then, at the end, we’re subjected to a tax that was never discussed,” laments Boubacar Ba, a member of the industry. He points out that the government had promised 50 billion CFA francs to revitalize production and processing, a promise that has yet to be fulfilled. According to him, aging plantations are disappearing and urgently require the renewal of species to ensure the sector’s future.

Exporters, like Baye Guilaye Mbaye, are denouncing a unilateral decision that is disrupting their financial calculations: “We budgeted for the 32 francs. But these 20 francs were unexpected. We agreed to contribute to the national economy, but we will not accept being taxed further without consultation.” He points out that for twenty years, cashew nuts were never taxed, and that the operators accepted the first tax “out of economic patriotism.”

Beyond the tax dispute, stakeholders point to a lack of strategic vision. Assane Ba accuses a "lobby" of trying to destabilize the sector and emphasizes that the state, as with peanuts, should support production instead of undermining operators. For him, "thirty-two francs is already a lot for the population. Adding twenty francs of unknown origin is unacceptable."

They are all demanding the immediate withdrawal of the decree imposing the additional tax, which they consider illegal because it was not approved by the National Assembly. They are demanding direct dialogue with the relevant minister and refuse to delegate their vote to intermediaries they deem illegitimate. This mobilization illustrates a growing rift between the government and an industry that nevertheless contributes to the trade balance through its exports to India and other markets.

The foreign exchange generated by cashew nuts is vital to the national economy. But at a time when plantations are aging, regional competition is intensifying, and promises of support remain unfulfilled, stakeholders in Ziguinchor believe that calm and confidence are essential conditions to ensure the future of this strategic sector.