(Business in Cameroon) - According to figures from Cameroon’s technical committee of the balance of payment, the country’s imports have decreased by 13.4% in 2016, to about CFA3,095.5 billion.
The committee explained that this is due to the dynamism in the local fishing sector, which led to a decrease of frozen fish imports, and the production of Cement in Cameroon which reduced the imports of cement by 91%. Also, due to the increase in its local supply, Cameroon’s government prohibited the imports of cement.
It should be noted that for more than two years now, the government has also multiplied initiatives to promote aquaculture. One of such initiatives is the project to support Tilapia farming (Appui au développement de l’élevage du tilapia en cage au Cameroun) which is aimed at producing and supplying fries to fish farmers. This project was supported by FAO.
The fries produced are supplied to partners such as the members of the fish production and commercialization parks that the government has multiplied in the country for two years now through the Agropoles project led by the ministry of economy.
The Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries explained that the numerous projects are aimed at increasing the aquaculture production. Indeed, from 1,000 tons/year, this will raise the overall production of fish to 176,000 tons. It should be reminded that the local demand is estimated at 400,000 tons.
Back to cement, Cimenteries du Cameroun (Cimencam), subsidiary of Lafarge Holcim group, is currently rivaled by three cement firms including Dangote Cement, firm of the eponymous Nigerian billionaire, which has in fact become the leader in Cameroon’s cement market barely one year after its factory was opened in Douala, the economic capital.
Brice R. Mbodiam