Burkina Faso has suspended “until further notice” its exports of shea nuts, of which the country is the second largest exporter in the world, in order to promote local processing, according to a government statement released on Friday. Burkina Faso is governed by a military junta that took power in September 2022 in a coup d’état and which has made national sovereignty one of its priorities, especially in the economic field.
The Burkinabe government has decided to “suspend exports of shea nuts throughout the country until further notice,” a decision that came into effect on Wednesday, Trade Minister Serge Poda and Economy Minister Aboubacar Nacanabo wrote in a joint statement.
“This suspension aims to make available the shea seed used as raw material by industrial processing units nationwide to align with the government’s dynamic aimed at supporting the development of our national industries,” they said. On Wednesday, the government also decided to exempt from taxes the profits from the production of locally produced wheat flour, corn, sorghum and other cereals.
600,000 tons
With an annual production of 600,000 tonnes, the shea sector brought in around $60 million in 2019 to Burkina Faso, the world’s second largest exporter after Nigeria, according to official figures. Shea nuts grow on a tree and part of them are used to make butter that is consumed all over the world, mixed with chocolate, margarine or oils.
In Africa, it has always been used for its skin-nourishing properties and the giants of the cosmetics industry are becoming increasingly interested in it.
Source: BFM TV
