Despite good performance on the international market, disease and climate change have their grips on coffee plants. One of the cash crops that climbed the production ladder in the 60s and 70s was coffee. In the past 21 years coffee production is experiencing a coma. The fact that production has gone down the ladder, export in 2011/2012 marketing season also dwindled from 48,000 metric tonnes in 2010 to 26,300 metric tonnes.

Coffee evolution, according to information from the National Cocoa and Coffee Board, NCCB, shows that Cameroon in 2008/2009 season produced 30,555,942 metric tonnes of Robusta. Its production climbed to 43,985,280 metric tonnes in 2009/2010, but dropped drastically to 29,026,224 metric tonnes in 2010/2011. Meanwhile, the production of Arabica decreased constantly from 3,611,840 to 3,159,120 and 2,372,400 metric tonnes in 2008/2009, 2009/2010 and 2010/2011, respectively.

The drop is attributed principally to diseases such as the Coffee Berry Disease and global warming, as well as farmers switching to and concentrating on crops following varying market forces in the past decades. Chemical inputs against the diseases needed proper application methods to enable safe human consumption. An NCCB official, who asked for anonymity, blamed the complete liberalisation of the sector in the 1990. Production before liberalisation staggered between 100,000-132,000 metric tonnes. But liberalization seemingly dwindled performance to 42,000-35,000 metric tonnes with very little signs of further improvement.

Following a new programme by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, fertilizers will be distributed to farmers in the country, while coffee plants will be sprayed. Beside, VermiCompost, an innovative project by NCCB’s seeks to produce natural manure from chaffs for farmers. But a study in 2010 in view of a five-year development strategy to run from 2010-2015 revisited factors that would improve production. These include: farm expansion, involving young population in the sector, fertile soils, diverse production with the two major species, faithful customers and good handling services. He explained that, form this; blame cannot be laid on coffee quality as each quality has its market. Also, the value of the coffee is the most important factor on the international market and it can encourage increase in production.

By January 11, 2012, a kg of Robusta coffee (Free on Board) in Douala sells at FCFA 863, in New York FCFA 945. Arabica sells at FCFA 2,439 in Douala and FCFA 2,558 in New York, Free on Board prices, according to NCCB.