(Business in Cameroon) - The Cassava processing unit Sotramas finally started operations this month, 9 years after its commissioning. The CFA1.2 billion facility, which is expected to produce 120 tons of starch and flour per day, was put to the test on May 5, Cameroon Tribune reported.
Since its commissioning in 2014, this industrial unit has never been able to effectively start production due to misunderstandings regarding the appointment of the general manager, and most importantly, the absence of raw materials to supply the plant. To solve this, the promoters of Sotramas, the municipality of Sangmelima and the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Handicrafts (Ccima) of Cameroon, have announced the establishment of a cassava cluster around the city of Sangmelima.
This cluster will be established on a seed field of 150 hectares to ensure that cassava producers have access to plant materials. According to 2015 estimates by the Ministry of Agriculture, over 4,000 hectares of cassava will have to be cultivated over five years for Sotramas to reach full capacity, a goal that is still far from being achieved.