Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, Minister of Trade, on Wednesday January 11 launched the 2012 banana season in Limbe amidst Cameroon’s major producers; the CDC (Cameroon Development Corporation), the PHP (Penja Banana Plantations), and the SPM (Mbanga Banana Plantations). He underscored the challenges that await producers namely to maintain the banana sector on the lead as a major cash crop export. As such, he advocated inter-professional solidarity amongst producers and urged that the target production of 500,000 tons annually be met in line with government directives.

On his part, Mr. Henry Njalla Quan, President of Cameroon's Banana Producers (ASSOBACAM) and General Manager of the CDC, underscored the great employment that the banana sector offers to Cameroonians (13,243 workers) on a total banana cultivation surface of 7,404 hectares. He noted that Cameroon exported 247,210 tons of bananas in 2011 mainly to Europe. He affirmed that the producers were working to respect the target of 500,000 tons prescribed by government by 2013. He explained that banana production in Cameroon today is carried out by both the public and private sectors. In the case of the public sector, the CDC operates the Tiko Banana Project in partnership with Delmonte as well as the Banana Expansion Project, wholly owned by the CDC. Meanwhile, in the private domain, banana is produced by the PHP Group, SPM and the BOH Plantations.

Challenges

The banana sector is, however, not without hitches especially with the liberalisation of the European Banana Market which has drastically affected the revenue of Cameroonian producers. Equally, the sector suffers a negative impact resulting from the Euro-Dollar exchange rate. Other nagging problems encountered by the sector include the high cost of transportation; due to increase in fuel price; inadequate supply of electricity; lack of potable water; limited suitable land for the expansion of banana plantations; land encroachment; poor road infrastructure and delays in implementing “Banana Accompanying Measures” (BAM). He pleaded on government to solve the above cited problems in order to boost banana production.

Major expectations

According to Remy Pigou, Commercial Director of “Banana de Guadeloupe et Martinique”, the quality of Cameroon's banana should be standardised to that of “Makossa” produced by the CDC. Experts called for a permanent eradication of the banana leaf disease called '”Sigatoka” which is a major threat to sustainable yield. Another expectation is that the banana sector be overhauled to satisfy the socio-economic needs of Cameroonians, in terms of employment as foreign currency earnings.

A highlight of the Limbe Middle Farm banana season launch ceremony was the presence of General Managers of the producing plantations from the Littoral and South West Regions, the Governor of the Littoral Region, international importers as well as administrative authorities and banana agro experts.