(Business in Cameroon) - The 2024 edition of the Yaoundé International Poultry Exhibition (Savi) kicked off on April 23 at the Congress Palace. The event organized by the Cameroon Poultry Interprofessional Association (Ipavic) is themed "Cameroonian Poultry: Towards Transformation." It is set to end on April 25.

Ipavic President François Djonou emphasized the need for this focus, citing the sector's current stage of development. The issue of poultry product transformation in Cameroon was first addressed during the inaugural SAVI event in 2014. During that year, Jean Paul Fouda Ottou, former secretary of Ipavic, highlighted challenges related to the sale of live chickens, arguing for a shift towards processing. Ten years on, artisanal chicken processors and market pluckers continue to prevail, with industrial slaughterhouses and sausage production facilities yet to supplant them. Aviculturists attribute this to funding shortages, a topic to be addressed during the 5th SAVI edition.

Other factors could also be at play. For instance, in 2011, the Cameroon Poultry Products Company (SPAC) built a CFA5 billion chicken slaughterhouse in Bafang with government backing. However, the company faced bankruptcy just months after commencement due to steep production expenses, as detailed by Finance Minister Louis Paul Motazé during a parliamentary session in November 2022. This reality, wherein processed chicken is more expensive than live birds, poses a barrier to slaughterhouse investments. Despite significant poultry production investments, market leader Noutchoguoing Group continues to avoid the processing segment.

However, despite avian flu outbreaks over the past decade, Cameroon's poultry sector thrives, supported by the government. According to the National Institute of Statistics, poultry meat production increased by 18% in 2021, reaching 52,600 tons, making it the country's second-largest meat source, behind beef, which contributed 46% (125,000 tons) in 2021.