Mbanga Hosts Launch of 2012/13 Cocoa Marketing Season

Preparations are gathering momentum in the country for the 2012/2013 cocoa marketing season whose official launching is scheduled for August 30, 2012 in Mbanga, Moungo Division of the Littoral Region. Trade Minister, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, recently signed a release spelling out the marketing modalities and royalties to be paid by exporters. The royalties, the ministerial release stipulates, have moved from FCFA 29 to FCFA 54 per kilogramme of cocoa beans exported, indicating an 87 per cent increase.

The Minister's circular comes on the heels of repeated malpractices in the sector; like the upsurge of unlicensed buyers who do not only cheat buyers but also deprive the country of viable statistics, thus compromising good decision-making for the sector. The release seeks to instil order in the sector, ensure that producers benefit from the fruit of their labour and that the sector occupies its place in the country's socio-economic development. By the circular, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana advocates the promotion of local processing and consumption, rejuvenation of production and the capacity building of producers on best practices, improving production material, among others.

Production, Exportation

Statistics from the Cocoa and Coffee Inter-professional Board (CCIB) show that cocoa production and exports have been on a steady rise in the past five years. Production moved from 190,870 metric tonnes in the 2009-2010 season to 219,000 metric tonnes in the 2010-2011 season. Authorities of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development put the 2010-2011 production at 240,000 metric tonnes. Production is projected to hit 350,000 metric tonnes in 2015. Exportation also improved by 18,000 metric tonnes between 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 seasons. In 2010-2011, it stood at 190,000 metric tonnes. Although a total of 27 exporters were active in the 2010-2011 marketing season, four stood out outstanding carrying on them 65.24 per cent of the entire export. These include: Telcar Cacao Limited (26.33 per cent), Olam Cam (16.87 per cent), Camaco (12.26 per cent) and Ets Ndongo Essomba (9.78 per cent).

Exporting countries also moved from 10 to 13 with Holland also reported to have bought over 77.38 per cent of the export. Over 29,000 metric tonnes of cocoa were said to have been processed locally, representing an increase of about 8,000 metric tonnes compared to the 2009-2010 season. The average buying rates oscillated from FCFA 1,200 in the Centre, FCFA 1,130 in the South, FCFA 1,205 in the Littoral, FCFA 1,075 in the East and FCFA 1,125 in the South West. The price per 100 kg (quintal) swung between FCFA 138,416 and FCFA 153,504 in the 2009-2010 as against FCFA 138,416 and FCFA 198,768 for the season before. Globally, the business turnover of the sector moved from FCFA 249 billion in the 2009-2010 season to FCFA 280 billion in the 2010-2011 season.