Doing Business in Africa - Cameroon: cocoa exports up 4.2%

Cameroon exported 264,253 tonnes of cocoa for 2018-19, an increase of 4.2%

(Invest in Cameroon) - The Minister of Trade (Incense Trade), Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, on 13 August launched the solemn launch of the 2019-2020 cocoa season in Sangmelima, Southern Cameroon Region. Up 4.2% from the previous season, marketed cocoa production was 264,253 tonnes.

During the ceremony, the government member indicated that the outlook is favourable for the emergence of a domestic market driven by the increase in local bean processing capacity (58,552 tonnes); the marked interest of master chocolatiers in the Cameroon origin; the increase in orders and the excellent quality of cocoa, whose purchase price at the edge of the field reached a record level of 2,000 FCFA in 2018.

The good news announced by the Mincommerce planters is the very early payment of the President of the Republic's Award of Excellence to Grade 1 cocoa producers.

However, all these performances do not change the fact that Cameroon is still far from its targets for the coming year. In fact, in the follow-up report on the implementation of the rural sector development strategy in Cameroon, the Ministry of Agriculture writes that cocoa production improved between 2014 (281,000 tonnes) and 2018 (336,000 tonnes produced compared to the quantity marketed). However, the ministry writes, " the 2020 target of 600,000 tonnes is unlikely to be met".

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