(Business in Cameroon) - Cameroon's banana exports experienced a significant drop in March 2024, with shipments totaling 14,208 tons, down 26% compared to March 2023.

According to data released by the Cameroon Banana Association (Assobacam), this downturn was primarily driven by the market leader, Plantations du Haut Penja (PHP), whose exports fell by 35.4% year-on-year to 10,174 tons in March 2024.

The other two main market players also saw their exports fall by 17.5%, to 788 tons, for Boh Plantations Plc, and by a slight 2%, to 2,475 tons, for Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC). The entry of a fourth banana producer to the local market in June 2023 failed to boost Cameroon's export figures in March 2024. Compagnie des Bananes de Mondoni (CDBM), another subsidiary of Compagnie Fruitère de Marseille, exported 771 tons in March 2024. Despite this, the overall export figures continued to decline on a year-over-year basis. However, for CDBM, March 2024 represented its third-largest volume of exports since its market debut, after 946 tons in January 2024 and 896 tons in December 2023.

Assobacam has not provided specific reasons for this continued downturn, which marks the second consecutive month of declining exports following a 25% yoy increase in January 2024. The association's lack of comment has industry experts wondering about the causes, especially since earlier mentions of drought conditions do not match the current export figures.

Bananas, primarily sold in European Union countries, rank among the top 10 non-petroleum exports for Cameroon. As part of its efforts to increase revenue from this crop, the country aims to boost annual national production to 500,000 tons by 2030, up from the current levels of 210,000 to 240,000 tons. This goal is outlined in the National Development Strategy 2020-2030 (SND 20-30) initiated by the government to enhance Cameroon's export capacities and economic growth.