Côte d’Ivoire strengthens soybean processing capacity with new US$17M plant
The facility can process 70,000 tonnes of raw materials a year, turning shea into butter and soybeans into oil and oilseed cake.
CÔTE D’IVOIRE – Côte d’Ivoire is strengthening its shea and oilseed processing industry by inaugurating a new processing plant in Kongodékro, near Bouaké, as the government seeks to retain more agricultural value in the country.
The facility, operated by BETA VEG OIL, represents an announced investment of CFA10 billion (US$17 million) and is expected to support the transformation of shea kernels and soybeans into higher-value products.
Bruno Koné, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Agriculture, inaugurated the facility on Monday, October 12, 2026.
Construction began in January 2025, and the plant has an announced annual processing capacity of 70,000 tonnes of raw materials.
Its operations include converting shea into shea butter and processing soybeans into oil and oilseed cake. According to local media outlet KOACI, the shea butter production line is already operational.
The plant’s commissioning adds to the country’s industrial infrastructure as Côte d’Ivoire seeks to develop its domestic shea value chain.
According to the Cotton, Cashew and Shea Council (CCAK), the country has approximately 20 processing units, with an estimated installed capacity of 130,000 tonnes of shea kernels annually. However, a significant proportion of this capacity remains underutilized.
During the 2025/2026 season, 51,697 tonnes of shea kernels entered the formal marketing channel, all destined for domestic processing units.
This represented approximately 40% of the country’s estimated installed industrial capacity, highlighting the gap between available infrastructure and the volume of raw materials processed.
For the 2026/2027 season, launched in August 2026, authorities are targeting 60,000 tonnes of shea kernels sold through the formal channel, an increase of approximately 16% from the previous season.
The government is also tightening controls over raw-material supply to encourage domestic processing.
Since January 2025, exports of shea nuts and kernels across land borders have been prohibited.
The CCAK has also announced that it will reserve purchases from collectors and buyers for local processing units until further notice.
The measures aim to improve traceability, regulate marketing channels, and secure supplies for domestic industries.
The sector already demonstrates export potential for processed products. During the 2025/2026 season, Côte d’Ivoire exported 14,078 tonnes of shea butter to 13 countries across Asia, Europe and the Americas, according to the CCAK.
The new plant is expected to contribute to efforts to expand processing capacity, although its impact will depend on raw-material availability, capacity utilization and access to export markets.
Increasing the volume of shea processed locally could generate additional value for the country’s agricultural industry and strengthen opportunities for producers, processors and other participants in the shea supply chain.
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