(Business in Cameroon) - An important share in the cocoa crop in the South-Western region of Cameroon, one of the most important production areas in the country, is not subjected to any checks with regards to national systems, because it is illegally exported to Nigeria. The information, for which no further details were provided by operators in the sector, was revealed on 26 July 2017 in Yaoundé, the Cameroonian capital, during a preparatory meeting for the launch of the 2017-2018 cocoa year.

According to operators in the cocoa sector, the town of Mamfé is the hub for this expatriation of the Cameroonian cocoa production to Nigeria, a practice against which local exporters are a strong and urgent intervention from the government.

 “For 30 years now, we have noticed a lack of commitment from the government to solve this problem. Nigerians come up to Kumba, Mamfe. They use Cameroonians. The State cannot tell us they do not have the means to fight against this phenomenon “, denounced Kate Fotso, MD at Telcar Cocoa, local trading arm of Cargill, who represents close to 35% in Cameroonian cocoa beans exports.

According to operators, simply installing checkpoints in towns located in the South-Western region where this practice takes place, should help prevent the actions of fraudsters.

Brice R. Mbodiam