2021-2022 Cocoa Season: Emphasis On Promoting Local Processing

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2021-2022 Cocoa Season: Emphasis On Promoting Local Processing

14 août 2021 23:37

Cocoa sector stakeholders gathered in Kekem, Upper Nkam Division in the West Region on August 10 to launch the current cocoa season in the country.

T he 2021-2022 cocoa season in Cameroon is underway following the launching on Tuesday August 10 in Kekem, West Region by the Minister of Trade, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana. The event that brought together a cream of stakeholders in the cocoa sector provided the opportunity for the government to reiterate its position on promoting local processing. This, is in accordance of the government policy of import substitution and valorisation of local processing. It is on this strength that the Minister of Trade hailed the management of NEO Industry, a processing outfit based in Kekem which has a processing capacity of 135,000 tons (48 per cent of local production). He said apart from contributing to the country’s industrialization, the company participates in bettering remunerations for cocoa producers. The current cocoa season, the Minister of Trade went on, is being launched within the context of surplus supply of cocoa beans of 300,000 tons (5million tons produced as against a consumption of 4.7 million tons) in the world market during the previous season, causing a speculation on price to the detriment of producers. In Cameroon, some 292,471 tons of cocoa were commercialised during the just ended season, up by 35,319 tons (12.07 per cent) compared to 2019-2020 season. Despite the challenges, Cameroon producers, the Minister rejoiced continued to benefit from a little higher remuneration of farm gate prices than other producing countries. The cocoa sector, he added, should continue to show resilience during the current season by focusing on actions that will differentiate Cameroon cocoa beans in the international market with excellent quality. To achieve this goal, Minister Mbarga Atangana stated that government will contin...