Storage conditions of cocoa and coffee at the Dla port are growing concerns

The facilitation Committee of the international maritime transport (FAL Committee), a platform for consultation of stakeholders in the maritime sector in Cameroon, is concerned about storage, shipments delays of coffee and cocoa at the port of Douala.

This situation, it considers, is likely to cause a discount in cocoa and Cameroonian coffee on the world market, as activity has slowed at the level of exports.

"The lengthening of deadlines for export creates in a special way consequences very negative on the economy.”

For agricultural products (cocoa and coffee) the extended stay in port degrades their quality (increase of acidity) and could accelerate the discount of coffee and Cameroon cocoa in the international market, and as a result a decrease in their value which will affect the exporter and the planter,indicated the FAL Committee in a press release received Thursday at APA.

According to statistics of the national cocoa and coffee Board (NCCB), Cameroon has exported 146 685 tonnes of cocoa at the end of May 2014, i.e. nine months after the launch of the current campaign in August 2013.

This represents a decline of more than 54,000 tonnes, from 200 915 tonnes exported over the same period in the preceding year.

Still for the same period, Cameroon has exported 883 tonnes of Arabica coffee, 883 against 1199 tons over the same period during the last campaign, a decrease of exports of 316 tons.

A downward trend is also observed on Robusta coffee, either 8087 tons since the beginning of December 1, 2013, against 8406 tonnes over the same period in the previous marketing year.

This represents a decline in exports of more than 30 tonnes.