In August 2018, the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC), a state-owned agro-industrial company that operates vast rubber tree and banana plantations in the south-west region of the country, achieved its lowest performance in 13 years in terms of exportation. This company, the country's second-largest employer after the civil service, exported 1,488 tons of bananas; almost six times less than in August 2017 (8,560 tons). It's hardly better than Boh Plantations (Bpl). According to Assobacam, the latter exported 1,164 tons of bananas in August 2018, compared to 12,261 tons for the market leader, the plantations du Haut Penja (PHP).
This drop of the banana market is said to be due to the violent actions of English-speaking separatists, which has been going on for more than a year in the south-west region of Cameroon, where the CDC owns all its plantations. The prevailing climate of insecurity is such that the company has had to close most of its plantations on the farm, leaving aside a good portion of its 22,000 employees. The sector is therefore suffering from this socio-political crisis.
It should be noted, however, that the local subsidiary of the Compagnie Fruitière de Marseille, the Plantations du Haut-Penja (PHP), accounted for almost 75% of banana exports in Cameroon, with a volume of 28 434 tons of bananas shipped between July and August 2018.
Particularly dynamic in August, PHP exported 12,261 tons of bananas against 8,672 tons in July, an increase of nearly 4,000 tons over a period of one month. The CDC only exported 5 534 tons, of which 4 046 tons in July.
Source: EcoMatin