Fcfa 2.6 Billion for Cocoa Farming, Road Development

Government is bent on giving agriculture a positive lift. With the launch of the Agropole Programme several projects have benefitted from government financial support all with the goal of encouraging second generation agriculture in the country. Another such gesture from government June 26 was the disbursement of FCFA 2.6 Billion to assist farmers secure inputs and young plants as well as help in roads development around the new cocoa processing unit in Bonaberi, Douala, called Noha Nyamedjo & Transmar SA.

One billion FCFA from the total amount will be directed to local cocoa suppliers (farmers) and FCFA 1.6 billion for the factory and roads around it. The money is intended to assist farmers plant cocoa through the Agropole projects going on in the South, East, South West, Littoral, West, and Nkondjock with government's collaboration.

Meanwhile, the project promoter mustered FCFA 10.4 billion with the help of local and international banks to sponsor the whole cost of the FCFA 13 billion project.

Speaking during a ceremony to pen a partnership accord at the Akwa Palace in Douala recently, the promoter of Noha Nyamedjo & Transmar SA, Noha Nyamedjo disclosed that preparations to build the factory starts in mid July 2014 while the building proper will kick off later in September.

According to the accord, all products will be exported through Transmar Group which will buy all the products produced by the factory and sell in international markets. Nathaniel Durant, General Manager of Transmar Group, which is also responsible for building the transformation factory, said it is now putting the key people in place to manage the project.

"We already have the land and have laid the initial foundation," says Noha Nyamedjo. The unit, he revealed, has the capacity to transform 25.000 tonnes of cocoa annually for the production of cocoa liquor, cocoa powder and cocoa butter to be sold to its one and only customer Transmar Group for export and sell on the international market. The project is expected to generate 300 direct and 1.000 indirect jobs, as well as develop local technical talent and provide transformation added value to Cameroon cocoa.

Besides the new unit, are the French SIC Cacaos which has existed in Douala for some time now and Telcar, a cocoa drying unit in Bonaberi. It was disclosed that other small units exists but are yet to attain the international quality standards.