(Business in Cameroon) - Despite the pandemic, France imported €127.8 million (XAF83.92 billion) worth of goods and products from Cameroon, in H1-2020, up by 15.9% Year-over-year, according to the French treasury.  

The source adds that these imports were dominated by oil products but during the reference quarter, they were dominated by agri-food products (cocoa and tropical fruits) whose imports rose from €45.6 million (about XAF30 billion) to €57.7 million (XAF37.8 billion) in H1-2020.

France also imported €33 million (about XAF21.67 billion) of agriculture, fish, and aquaculture products, up by 1.4% during the period.

Conversely, its import of metallurgical and metal products from Cameroon decreased by €17 million (XAF11.16 billion) to €15.7 million (XAF10.31 billion, -7.5%), whereas in the first half of 2019, there was a significant rise in the import of products in that category. Finally, the importation of wood, paper, and cardboard dropped by 16.9%, from €14.3 million (XAF9.39 billion) to €11.9 million (XAF7.81 billion).

"Our imports were mainly dominated by four products (cocoa, tropical fruits, aluminum, and wood). Overall, the associated sectors accounted for nearly 93% of French imports from Cameroon in the first half of 2020,"  the French Treasury comments.

These figures are contrary to the information provided by Cameroon’s cocoa and coffee board NCCB. Indeed, according to the board, during the 2019-2020 cocoa campaign (which ended on July 15, 2020), France was not on the list of Cameroonian cocoa buyers.

S.A.