(Business in Cameroon) - Banana producers operating in Cameroon exported 13,186 tons of the fruit in April 2021, according to the Banana Association of Cameroon (Assobacam). This volume is down by 2,916 tons compared with the 16,102 tons exported in April 2020.

This 22.11% drop is recorded despite the additional 1,354 tons of banana exported during the month under review, by state-owned group CDC, which was absent from the market in April 2020.

That counter-performance was due to the performance of market leader Plantations du Haut Penja (PHP) and current market minnow Boh Plantations Plc.

Specifically, in April 2021, PHP exported 10,817 tons of banana, down by 4,148 tons compared with the 14,965 tons it exported in April 2020. As for Boh Plantations Plc, in April 2021, its banana exports dropped by 122 tons (from 1,137 in April 2020 to 1,015 tons in April 2021).

Assobacam provides no reasons to explain the overall drop but, we can hypothesize that it is due to this year’s dry season, which is tougher than the last. There is also the coronavirus pandemic that has affected logistics chains worldwide, therefore hampering international trade.

Brice R. Mbodiam