Potato and pineapple join the list of Agropoles

Two new projects were launched late last week, respectively in Mbouda and Nholé by the Minister Delegate to the Minepat.

On Wednesday, 5 in August, 7 tractors and a lot more were provided by the Government, under the Agropoles program. Yaouba Abdoulaye, Minister Delegate at the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Planning (Minepat), made the delivery in Mbouda through an official launch of the project "Agropole seed multiplication, production and transformation of potato in the West."

The total cost of this project is a little over FCFA 2.8 billion. The contribution to beneficiaries who were represented by David Zambou, amounts to over FCFA 1.8 billion. The remainder, representing the share of agropole program is FCFA 971 585 235 for the seven tractors, 14 motor pumps, 20 kilometers of roads, two water points, a connection to the power grid, etc.

According to the Minister Abdoulaye Yaouba, "the government has decided to support the Agropole Western potato to make it a consumer commodity for Cameroon and the sub-region." Therefore, it is a responsibility of 24 groups that make up this agropole, to move from a current production of 14,840 tonnes of potatoes per year to 46,800 tonnes next year. The cultivable area will also be extended to 520 hectares, with 30 permanent jobs and 325 seasonal.

Before signing the allocation to Adrian Ngo'o Bitomo, new national program coordinator of agropoles and Zambou David, the Minister Delegate at Minepat reminded the promoters that the contribution of the government constitutes public money which should be managed with transparency and thoroughness.

The pineapple in Nholé

After the Western Region, Yaouba Adoulaye went to the Littoral on Thursday, August 6, where he proceeded this time with the project "agropole production, processing and marketing of pineapple in Nlohé".

Here we learn that the locality of Mungo, district of Manjoo, has a good reputation abroad, through the export of its main agricultural crops such as vegetables, fruits and flowers.

"Until 2012, Nholé exported up to 12 000 tonnes per year through the PHP company which now invests in Penja pepper and banana. So we no longer export only 4000 tons of pineapple and we struggle to drain and turn the rest," laments Jean-Marie Sop, promoter of pineapple agropole in Nholé.

The project valued at FCFA 1.9 billion captured the attention of the government which provided a support of FCFA 562 699 145, six tractors, motor pumps, eleven kilometers of road, a water point etc.

The production target is 30 000 tonnes within three years, with the creation of a whole pineapple industry in Nholé and commissioning of a semi-industrial unit for processing into juice and dried pallets. It is also planning 56 permanent jobs and 250 seasonal.

Yaouba Abdoulaye symbolically handed over the keys of tractors to the promoter of agropole pineapple in Nholé, wishing him quick progress to the second generation of agriculture and to continue efforts to improve the trade balance in Cameroon.