Cocoa exports dropped in January 2016

Throughout January 2016, Cameroon exported 21,564 tons of cocoa, according to statistics revealed on 18 February 2016 by the National Cocoa and Coffee Office (ONCC). These exports have decreased by over 17,000 tons, by comparison to December 2015, when the country's exports peaked at 38,748 tons.

January 2016, according to official statistics, seems to be the least prolific month in terms of cocoa exports in the country since October 2015. Indeed, since October, it is the first time that the trend of monthly exports for Cameroonian cocoa goes below 30,000 tons.

According to the sector's operators, this drop in exports can be explained by the fact that producers would rather build up stock, while waiting for the market price to pick up again.

Indeed, based on the figures compiled as part of the Sector Information System (SIF in French), after skirting the threshold of FCfa 1,600 per kilogram during the last quarter of 2015, the average farm gate price of cocoa in Cameroon dropped to FCfa 1,300 since the beginning of 2016.