Cocoa exports fall to 158,413 tonnes in 2013/14 season

Cameroon's cocoa exports fell to 158,413 tonnes in the 2013-2014 season from 196,788 tonnes for the previous season, , figures from the National Cocoa and Coffee Board (NCCB) showed, .

The world's fifth-largest grower shipped 5,472 tonnes of beans in July, up from 4,256 in June, as the light crop came to a close. Cameroon's cocoa season runs from August 1 to July 31.

NCCB officials said the reason for the fall in exports was not immediately clear, with some indications that individuals were stocking beans and waiting for international prices to rise.

Cameroon has also been trying to increase domestic processing of cocoa beans. Fifteen companies exported in July, up from 11 in June. Telcar Cocoa Ltd came top with 1,505 tonnes, followed by Cameroon Marketing Commodities (CAMACO) with 1,154 tonnes.

Cocoa is the central African country's main cash crop. Output hit a record of 240,000 tonnes in the 2010/11 season. It dropped to 220,000 tonnes in 2011/12 due to the effects of disease and a long dry season, but rose to 228,948 tonnes in 2012/13.

The NCCB told Reuters that output for the 2013/14 season would be around 235,000 tonnes but the Cocoa and Coffee Inter-professional Board (CCIB) expects it to reach 240,000 tonnes. Output figures for the 2013-2014 season should be released in the coming weeks.

Data from the NCCB also showed that Cameroon's main cocoa grinders purchased 33,378 tonnes of beans in the season to end-July, up from 31,969 tonnes the previous season.

The data showed that Sic-Cacaos, a subsidiary of Swiss chocolate manufacturing firm Barry Callebaut, was the largest purchaser in July with 1,336 tonnes, bringing its total since the start of the season to 32,452 tonnes versus 29,967 tonnes last season.

Local grinding firm Chocolaterie Confiserie du Cameroun (CHOCOCAM), an affiliate of South Africa's Tiger Brand, made no purchases in July, leaving its total since the start of the 2013/14 season at 926 tonnes versus 2,002 tonnes the previous season.

NCCB officials are also seeking to clarify reports that some farmers may be processing their own output or stocking beans to be processed in the future.

Sic-Cacaos processes cocoa beans into cocoa powder, cocoa cake and cocoa liquor which are sold in all the six countries of the CEMAC sub-region (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon).

CHOCOCAM manufactures chocolate sold only in Cameroon.