Gov't to set up sugar production plant in the East

The Cameroonian Government, through the Ministry of Industry has requested for an interested private investors to provide a sugar production plant at the Bertoua-Batouri inter-zone.

The solicitation, which was signed by the Minister of Mines, Industry and Development Technology (MINIMIDT), Emmanuel Bonde on November 17, was published in State media on Thursday.

"The goal of the project is to supplement the current deficit of the national market of sugar and to consider for future expansion to markets in the sub-region and beyond", said the Minister.

As accompanying measures, the Cameroonian Government indicated that it has already mapped out a site with a minimum area of 32,000 hectares that will be assigned to the project.

"Other various facilities, contained in the proposed convention model will be granted to the company or the Group of companies, in accordance with the legislation and legislation on incentives to the private investment in the Republic of Cameroon", said Emmanuel Bonde.

Interested investors can obtain the study report summary of the project from MINIMIDT as well as the map of the project area and the model convention project to be signed with the Government.

"They can also visit, if they wish, the selected site and carry out all operations prior to their decision making”, said Bonde.

Potential investors were given 10 weeks starting from 20th November, for the filling of applications.

The agro-industrial complex of Bertoua-Batouri will compensate for the inadequacies of the current monopolist, the Sugar Company of Cameroon (SOSUCAM), a subsidiary company of the French group Somdiaa, which operates plantations of sugarcane at Nkoteng and Mbandjock, two localities in the Department of the Haute-Sanaga River, in the Central Region.