(Business in Cameroon) - On the afternoon of April 9, a devastating fire broke out at the Sodecoton factory in Maroua, located in Cameroon's Far North region. The incident led to the loss of 1,500 tons of cotton, according to reliable sources.

After hours of relentless efforts, the company's trained firefighting team, alongside the fire department, successfully extinguished the blaze, the source said. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined. This incident occurs as the agro-industrial unit, which supports approximately 200,000 cotton producers across the three northern regions of Cameroon, is gearing up to commence construction on a new ginning unit in Godola, close to its current Maroua facility. In March 2024, the company compensated relocated populations from the site planned for the new factory, with payments totaling CFA48 million.

The forthcoming Godola cotton ginning plant is part of Sodecoton's 2017-2023 recovery plan. This facility is intended to boost the company's processing capabilities, in anticipation of a projected increase in cotton production to 400,000 tons by the year 2025.