(Business in Cameroon) - The Cameroonian government, as part of the Programme for the Improvement of Productivity in Agriculture, particularly the section on supporting the development of the diary sector, is currently completing the construction of four dairies in the northern part of the country, we learned from reliable sources.

These units have a cumulated production capacity of 8,000 tons of milk per day. They also enable the production of by-products such as cheese or yogurt.

The dairies in Ngaoundéré, Maroua, Meiganga and Garoua, which will enable breeders in northern Cameroon to better thrive socially and economically, officially cost FCfa one billion to the Cameroonian Treasury.

As a reminder, milk is among the most imported food products in Cameroon. According to official statistics, these imports cost FCfa 31 billion in 2015.

According to the Ministry of Livestock, the country has a production deficit of more than 17,000 tons per year, since the national production peaks at approximately 125,000 tons only, for a demand estimated at 297,000 tons.

At the roots of this situation, experts highlight, is the low yield of the species of cows used by producers, the remoteness of the main production areas, etc.

BRM