Cameroon cocoa output surpasses 300,000 metric ton target for first time
Cameroon surpassed its annual target of 300,000 metric tons of cocoa for the first time in the 2024/2025 season, marking a significant milestone for the world's fifth-largest producer, the Central African country's trade minister said on Thursday.
Speaking at the launch of the 2025/2026 cocoa season in Mbankomo, near the capital Yaounde, Trade Minister Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana said domestic traded volume for the season from August 1 2024 to July 15 2025 rose by 16% to 309,518 tons from 266,710 tons in the previous one.
"This is the first time we have crossed this symbolic threshold. The last season was exceptional," the minister said, adding that the result reflected the resilience of farmers and the government's efforts to restructure the sector.
Atangana also said that farmgate prices maintained an upward trend, ranging from 3,210 CFA francs ($5.75) to 5,400 CFA francs per kilogram during the season.
Speaking to farmers, exporters and other stakeholders, Atangana said the government was introducing premiums for quality cocoa beans in the 2025/2026 season.
He added that the government will prioritise sustainability and compliance with evolving global standards, especially the European Union's deforestation-free regulation, to boost the competitiveness of Cameroon’s cocoa in international markets.
The country is expected to roll out a platform that will provide plantations' location data to comply with the EU regulation.
Data from the National Cocoa and Coffee Board (NCCB) regulator showed on Thursday that before the last season, the country has consistently exported between 200,000 tons and 295,000 tons of cocoa annually – with a peak export volume of 295,163 tons in 2021/22.
The NCCB said nearly 80% of Cameroon's cocoa was exported to the European market, and around 19% went to Asia. Meanwhile, Nigeria significantly increased its cocoa imports from Cameroon to 2,100 tons.
SBET was Cameroon’s leading exporter, with 18.45%, while Telcar Cocoa, a Cargill (CARG.UL) joint venture, purchased 16.18%.
Ofi Cam, a subsidiary of Olam International, was in third position with 14.93% of the exports.
($1 = 558.2500 CFA francs)
