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Cameroon has been elected as the chair of the International Cocoa Council for the 2024/2025 season, following a vote by cocoa-producing countries within the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) on September 20, 2024. This decision, to be officially confirmed during the 110th ICCO session from September 23 to 26 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, highlights the global recognition of Cameroon’s “tireless efforts to promote fair compensation for cocoa farmers,” according to a statement from the Ministry of Trade on Friday.
This session of the International Cocoa Council is crucial, as it aims to set new strategies to ensure the sustainability of the global cocoa economy. Cameroon, the world’s fourth-largest producer, shares a production level of 300,000 tons with Nigeria. According to ICCO’s cocoa statistics report for the 2023-2024 season, the top four African producers Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroon, and Nigeria account for 70.6% of global cocoa production, though this share has slightly decreased from previous seasons.
Cameroon’s 2023-2024 cocoa season has been marked by record-high prices for farmers, reaching as much as CFA6,300 per kilogram. This price surge helped the country generate total revenues of CFA488.8 billion (FOB), an increase of CFA220 billion compared to the previous year, according to the National Cocoa and Coffee Board (ONCC). Trade Minister Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana noted that this “unprecedented price increase” strengthens Cameroon’s position as a “benchmark for quality and fair compensation for farmers, now among the best-paid in the world.”
In a statement on September 18, the Minister of Trade announced that a “major global player in the chocolate industry” had signed a purchase contract with a local cooperative for CFA5,200 per kilogram. While the buyer’s identity was not revealed, Atangana said this agreement reflects renewed international confidence in the quality of Cameroonian cocoa. He urged farmers to adopt this partnership model to secure better earnings for their hard work.
As the 2024-2025 cocoa season officially launched on August 8, Atangana expressed optimism, stating that “all indicators point towards either maintaining or improving the gains, thanks to the recognized quality of Cameroonian cocoa, which is now attracting top players in the global chocolate industry.” He also noted a mismatch between reduced supply and growing demand.
With Cameroon now holding the presidency of the International Cocoa Council, the country has an opportunity to champion its interests and promote sustainable practices, particularly with the European Union’s (EU) upcoming anti-deforestation regulation. This rule aims to ban products linked to deforestation, potentially affecting the cocoa sector. Cameroon’s leadership in the council highlights its significance as one of Africa’s and the world’s leading cocoa producers.
In Cameroon, the domestic cocoa market is fully liberalized. Over the past decade, the increase in commercial actors has boosted competition, driving up the prices paid to farmers. Since 2019, the government has allowed group sales of cocoa, based on reference prices set by the ONCC, which oversees quality and export monitoring. This system enables farmers, through their cooperatives, to negotiate directly with multinational companies or local processors, adjusting purchase prices based on the quality and quantity of their production.