Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Esther FOSSI
Published on 2024-03-27 12:44:24
The Minister of Trade, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, met with stakeholders in the cocoa sector of Cameroon (ONCC, CICC FODECC, and the exporters’ group) on March 26, 2024.
Cameroonian cocoa continues to attract attention. After prices that defy all competition in the African market, stakeholders in the sector held a meeting with the Minister of Trade in order to address the European Union market.
The objective of this meeting is to assess the sector’s readiness to comply with EU regulations, particularly those related to deforestation, the requirements of which will come into effect from December 30, 2024.
In accordance with EU standards, only cocoa harvests from non-deforested areas after December 30, 2020, will be able to access the European market. Furthermore, compliance with national laws is imperative, requiring a traceability and geolocation system to ensure the origin and compliance of the products being marketed. A feasibility study for the implementation of a national traceability system has been developed by the Ministry of Trade, aiming to trace the bean from its production plot to the loading port.
At the end of this meeting, a unanimous decision was reached regarding the actions to be taken to comply with European standards. Regular meetings between stakeholders in the sector, as well as monthly meetings that the Minister has committed to personally preside over, given the stakes involved. It should be noted that the price of cocoa recently surpassed the 5000 F per kilogram mark, reaching a world record never before achieved. This places Cameroon far ahead in the ranking of cocoa-producing countries, a position that the government is keen on preserving.
Read the original article(French) on Journal du Cameroun
