Cameroon's Development Corporation is entering a new investment cycle aimed at securing and restarting its agricultural operations, with a primary focus on bananas. The company's general manager, Franklin Njie, has launched two national open tenders under an emergency procedure to supply agricultural inputs and equipment. The combined budget exceeds CFA2.45 billion, equivalent to approximately US$4.1 million, and targets inputs linked to production volumes and export continuity.
For the banana department, the tender is divided into 34 lots covering the supply, transport, and handling of production and post-harvest inputs. According to the tender documents reviewed, the estimated budget for this segment is CFA2.37 billion, or around US$4.0 million.
The scope includes planting materials and growing bags, fertilizers, crop protection products, and packing equipment. CDC plans to acquire banana plantlets for nearly CFA102 million, equivalent to about US$170,000. The tender also includes the purchase of more than 1.9 million banana bunch protection bags, both treated and untreated, used for quality management and compliance in dessert banana production.
Fertilizers represent a large share of the budget. Planned purchases include slow-release urea valued at CFA145.4 million, around US$242,000, and NPK fertilizers estimated at CFA341.8 million, or approximately US$570,000. Chemical inputs and fertilizers account for a substantial portion of the total expenditure, reflecting the input intensity of banana cultivation and ongoing phytosanitary pressure.
The procurement program also covers elements of the post-harvest and export chain. These include Banavac polybags, mini-pads known as diapiters, adhesives, tapes, and plastic trays. These materials are used in packing operations and export handling and form part of the broader effort to restore operational capacity in the banana division.
The tenders form part of CDC's broader effort to stabilize production systems and align field operations, input supply, and export logistics under constrained timelines.
Source: Business in Cameroon
