Since the beginning of October; onions are sold out. It is the third cash crop after cotton and peanuts. Onions covers more than 3,400 ha and keep more than 13,600 producers busy, for an annual production of more than 70,000 tons, according to the indications of a federation of producers in Maroua.
This shortage has obviously affected prices: in the local market, the bucket of 2 kg of onions costs between 2500 and 3000 Fcfa, the price of a bag between 40 000 and 60 000 Fcfa depending on the quality and quantity.
"We were sourcing from the production areas of the northern region, including the localities of Ngong, Pitoa, Figuil and Lagdo. In the Far North, which is one of the largest production areas, there are Mayo-Tsanaga, Makilingai in Mayo Sava and Doumrou in Mayo-Kani. But since the beginning of October, we are out fo stock, "says Souleymanou Amadou, wholesaler in Maroua."We are waiting for the onion production period from Djimeta in Nigeria at the beginning of December to manage while waiting for our local production, some local producers have started seeding".
This rupture is partly due to the extended rainy season. The problems of conservation and storage limited to 3 months, also play on this rise in prices. Increasing demand for markets in southern Cameroon and countries such as Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Congo Brazzaville is contributing to increased losses and scarcity.
The agronomists warn of the necessity for the actors to think about the improvement of the systems and techniques of production and the marketing of the products of this sector.
Source: Actu Cameroon