Cocoa export prices at the port of Douala climbed back above 2,000 CFA francs per kilogram on Feb. 10, gaining 300 CFA francs in just five days, according to official data.
The FOB (free on board) price reached 2,109 CFA francs per kilogram, up from 1,800 CFA francs recorded five days earlier, data from the Commodity Information System (SIF) showed. SIF is operated by Cameroon’s National Cocoa and Coffee Office (ONCC).
Despite the sharp rise in export prices, farm-gate prices paid to producers have remained below the 2,000 CFA franc mark since the start of the current season. According to SIF, cocoa farmers are currently receiving between 1,800 and 1,900 CFA francs per kilogram.
These levels are well below the average producer prices of between 3,200 and 5,400 CFA francs per kilogram forecast by the government for the season, highlighting a persistent gap between international prices and earnings at the farm level.
Cameroon is among the top cocoa-producing countries in Africa, ranking behind Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana in terms of output. Cocoa has become a critical component of the country’s economy, not only as a source of foreign exchange but also as a major employer. The sector supports hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers and their families, particularly in the Centre, South, Southwest, and Littoral regions, where cocoa cultivation is a primary source of livelihood.
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Despite its export significance, Cameroon’s cocoa sector faces structural challenges. Most farmers operate on small plots averaging two hectares, limiting productivity. Ageing trees, pests, diseases such as black pod and swollen shoot virus, and inconsistent access to fertilizers and modern farming inputs have constrained yields. These factors make farmers vulnerable to fluctuations in global market prices.
The cocoa marketing system in Cameroon is partially liberalized, unlike the regulated systems in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, where fixed farm-gate prices are guaranteed. In Cameroon, export prices set at the port of Douala reflect international market trends, but domestic prices paid to farmers often lag behind, sometimes by weeks or months. Intermediaries, transport costs, quality grading, and local market inefficiencies further reduce the share of export revenue reaching producers.
Global cocoa prices have experienced significant volatility in recent years. Disruptions in supply from West Africa’s major producers, combined with climatic shocks and ageing plantations, have contributed to periods of high prices. During the 2022–2023 season, farm-gate prices in Cameroon briefly reached 6,000 CFA francs per kilogram, before moderating to around 5,400 CFA francs in 2024–2025. These swings have boosted national export earnings but underscored the vulnerability of smallholders to price shocks.
In recent years, cocoa has overtaken hydrocarbons as Cameroon’s leading export earner. According to the National Statistics Institute, cocoa generated 500.3 billion CFA francs in export revenue in the first quarter of 2025, accounting for 44.8 percent of total export earnings. This shift highlights cocoa’s growing strategic importance, particularly as the country seeks to diversify its economy and reduce dependence on volatile oil revenues.
Efforts to strengthen the sector have included initiatives to improve farm productivity, promote sustainable certification, and enhance market transparency. However, farm-gate prices remain a concern. Despite rising FOB prices, farmers often receive less than the international price would suggest, highlighting the ongoing challenge of bridging the gap between global market gains and local incomes.
Looking ahead, analysts say Cameroon’s cocoa sector will remain a cornerstone of economic growth, export revenue, and rural development, provided investments in productivity, infrastructure, and market efficiency are sustained. The continued alignment of domestic pricing mechanisms with international trends is expected to be crucial for supporting farmer incomes and ensuring the sector’s long-term competitiveness.
Cameroon’s cocoa industry has historically faced a dual challenge: balancing competitiveness in the global market with ensuring sustainable incomes for smallholder farmers. While the country produces high-quality cocoa beans sought after by international buyers, the majority of production comes from small-scale farms, which often lack access to modern agricultural inputs, irrigation, and mechanization. This limits yields and increases vulnerability to pests, diseases, and climate variability, particularly in the Southwest and Littoral regions where rainfall patterns are increasingly erratic.
The partially liberalized marketing system in Cameroon allows traders and exporters to set prices based on international markets, rather than guaranteeing a fixed floor price to farmers. While this system enables responsiveness to global demand, it also exposes farmers to rapid swings in earnings. Transport challenges, poor storage facilities, and the reliance on middlemen further reduce the proportion of export revenue reaching farm-gate prices. As a result, even when export prices rise sharply—as they did recently—farmers often receive only a fraction of the gains.
Over the past decade, Cameroon has made efforts to modernize its cocoa sector. Initiatives include distributing improved planting materials, promoting certification schemes such as Rainforest Alliance and UTZ, and providing training in good agricultural practices. These measures aim to boost yields, improve bean quality, and access premium markets. Nevertheless, progress has been uneven, and many farmers remain constrained by capital and infrastructure gaps.
The sector’s strategic importance to the Cameroonian economy has grown significantly. Cocoa export revenue has increased steadily, overtaking hydrocarbons in early 2025 as the country’s top source of foreign exchange. Analysts attribute this shift to both sustained global demand for cocoa and declining oil production. Cocoa now represents nearly half of Cameroon’s export earnings, demonstrating the crop’s role as a key driver of economic stability and a buffer against global oil price shocks.
Despite the positive contribution to export revenue, the discrepancy between global market prices and local farm-gate prices remains a key policy concern. Government projections for average producer prices range between 3,200 and 5,400 CFA francs per kilogram, yet many farmers continue to receive between 1,800 and 1,900 CFA francs per kilogram, highlighting systemic inefficiencies in price transmission. Bridging this gap is seen as essential not only for rural livelihoods but also for sustaining production growth in the medium term.
Looking forward, Cameroon’s cocoa sector faces both opportunities and challenges. Global demand for chocolate and cocoa derivatives is expected to remain strong, providing a potential boost to export earnings. At the same time, climate change, disease pressures, and fluctuating international prices will require continued investment in farmer support, infrastructure, and market reforms. Strengthening cooperative structures, improving quality certification, and ensuring more equitable price distribution are seen as critical steps to secure the sector’s long-term sustainability.
In summary, while recent price rebounds at the port of Douala signal robust international demand, the broader challenge for Cameroon remains translating these gains into sustainable incomes for smallholder farmers, modernizing infrastructure, and ensuring that the cocoa sector continues to drive national economic growth.
