Banana sector
The mostrecentstatisticsfrom the Cameroon Banana Association (ASSOBACAM) for the month of May 2023 show a drastic drop in Cameroon'sbanana exports. The situation in May 2023 wasless positive whencompared to previousmonths. Statistics show that Plantations du Haut Penja (PHP) exported 14,314 tonnes in January, comparedwith 9,761 tonnes in May 2023. The CameroonDevelopmentCompany (CDC) on its part exported 2,592 tonnes in January, comparedwith 1968 tonnes in May thisyear. The samedownward trend wasreported by BOOH PLANTATIONS (B. PL), whichexported 1,195 tonnes in January, comparedwith 829 tonnes in May 2023.
Concernedwith the competitiveness of Cameroonianproducts on the international market, the Cameroon National Shippers' Council (CNSC) approached the industry's stakeholders to find out reasons for this drop.According to Mr. Fodop Maurice, forwarding agent for Plantations du Haut Penja, the drop in their exports is due to "the violent stormsthattoppledseveral banana trees". To thisanalysis must beadded "the fallowing of several hectares of soil to allow for regeneration". For ASSOBACAM, the main cause remainsclimate change, coupledwith the late irrigation of fieldsthatled to stunted banana growth.
For further clarification, Mr. OwonaKono Joseph, ExecutiveSecretary at ASSOBACAM, points to the problem of insufficient sunlight, whichcaused a delay in the sprouting of banana flowers. "The earlydroughtwhichbegan as early as October 2022, caused a considerabledelay in the irrigation of banana plantations", headded by way of argument.
Irrigation generallybegins in November, and officials of Cameroon's banana industry have reassured us that all the necessarystepswillbetakenthisyear. Theyremain confident that banana exports willsoonbe on the rise.
|
TITLE |
PHP |
CDC |
B PL |
|
Exports January 2023 |
14,314 tonnes |
2,592 tonnes |
1,195 tonnes |
|
Exports February 2023 |
12,919 tonnes |
2,169 tonnes |
1,097 tonnes |
|
Exports March 2023 |
15,744 tonnes |
2,528 tonnes |
955 tonnes |
|
Exports April 2023 |
11,336 tonnes |
1,803 tonnes |
789 tonnes |
|
Exports May 2023 |
976 tonnes |
1,968 tonnes |
829 tonnes |
Table: Exports fromJanuary to May 2023, ASSOBACAM website
(CNSC Article July 2023)