Cocoa farmgate prices in Cameroon drop in mid-June 2014

Cocoa farmgate prices in Cameroon, the world's fifth grower,

dropped in all growing regions in June, after rising in May thanks to an early start to the light crop, farmers said.

"There are few beans on the market now and the number of buyers has also gone down," said Moise Edou from Sangmelima in the South Region.

He said the price of cocoa beans in his region ranged from 950 CFA francs per kilogramme to a maximum of 1,000 CFA francs, down from 1,180 CFA francs in May.

In Emana in the Centre Region, Emmanuel Nnogo Akolo said beans were selling at only 1,050 CFA francs/kg, down from 1,180 CFA francs/kg in mid-May. However, the price rose in Bafia, the main trading centre in the region.

Cocoa is grown in Cameroon in four of the 10 regions. The Centre and South-West account for 40 percent each of national output, the South 15 percent and the East 5 percent.

The season runs from August 1 to July 31, with the main harvest period from October to January/February and the light crop harvest from April/May to June/July.

Cameroon's national cocoa output hit a record of 240,000 tonnes in the 2010/11 season but slipped to 220,000 tonnes in 2011/12 due to attacks by pests and diseases and a prolonged dry season.

It then rose to 228,948 tonnes in 2012/13, and is expected to rise to around 235,000 tonnes in the ongoing 2013/14 season.

Below are the average farmgate prices in CFA francs per kg recorded across the regions by

mid-June:

Region         District            June             May                            

							

								

							
	
						
 South-West


                Mamfe               985             1,100                            


                Konye             1,125             1,150                              


                Mbonge            1,120             1,185                            


                Muyuka            1,125             1,185                          


                Kumba             1,130             1,200                          

							

								

							
	
						
 Centre:


                Bafia             1,240             1,200                           


                Emana             1,150             1,180                          


                Mbalmayo          1,025             1,175                            


 South:


                Ebolowa             900             1,125                             

							

								

							
	
						
                Sangmelima          975             1,180                         


 East:


                Bertoua             850             1,050              


                Yokadouma           800               950