Agriculture in Cameroon is a key sector of the economy, employing 42.2% of the population and accounting for about 17.0% of GDP. The country's agriculture has been actively developing in recent decades, but a number of factors prevent a significant increase in productivity. Among the main challenges, low incomes of the rural population and a shortage of water resources should be highlighted, as well as poorly developed transport infrastructure and a decrease in soil fertility suitable for agriculture. The majority of agricultural producers are small and family farms, the most vulnerable in the face of these problems.
The main crop grown in Cameroon is cassava. In 2022, the volume of its production in the country amounted to about 6.3 million tons. Among other crops in the category of vegetables, root crops and tubers, taro (edible colocasia), whose production volume in 2022 amounted to about 1.9 million tons, and tomatoes (1.2 million tons) are also distinguished.
Cameroon is a major producer of bananas and plantains. In 2022, the country produced almost 4.7 million tons of plantains and other banana crops (excluding bananas), as well as 878.3 thousand tons of bananas. Also, pineapples are produced in Cameroon — about 313.0 thousand tons in 2022.
Among the grain crops in Cameroon, maize and sorghum are the main ones. Corn production in 2022 amounted to about 2.2 million tons, sorghum — 1.2 million tons. Also in 2022, 343.1 thousand tons of rice were produced.
Other crops grown in Cameroon include oil palm fruits and sugar cane, the production of which in 2022 amounted to 2.8 million tons and 1.2 million tons, respectively. Also, an important place in Cameroonian agriculture is occupied by the cultivation of cocoa beans and the production of their processed products, which form the basis for the export of Cameroon's agricultural products. In 2022, the volume of cocoa bean production in the country amounted to about 300 thousand tons, of which 149.2 thousand tons were supplied to foreign markets.
The development of Cameroon's livestock sector is hampered by limited access of local producers to forage crops and water resources, as well as the poor quality of pasture lands. As a result, domestic production of basic livestock products is currently unable to meet the needs of the country's growing population. The COVID-19 pandemic has also led to a significant decrease in livestock production in 2020.
In 2022, about 205.6 thousand tons of raw cow's milk were produced. In the meat farming sector, poultry meat (123.1 thousand tons in 2022) and beef (120.7 thousand tons) occupy the majority of production. Also in 2022, 2.26 billion chicken eggs were produced in Cameroon. The volume of fish and seafood production in 2022 was estimated at 308.0 thousand tons.
In 2022, Cameroon imported agricultural products worth 1.69 billion US dollars, which is 8.5% higher than in 2021. In 2018-2022, the volume of imports of agricultural products of the country in value terms grew annually by an average of 8.4%.
In the structure of imports of agricultural products of Cameroon in value terms in 2022, wheat was the main product (19.7%). The top 3 agricultural products purchased on foreign markets also included rice (17.9%) and frozen fish (11.2%). In total, the top 10 imported products accounted for 73.2% of the total volume of agricultural products supplied to Cameroon in value terms.
In 2022, the volume of purchases of beet and cane sugar increased most noticeably (by 2.2 times compared to 2021 or by 59.2 million US dollars), as well as cake and soybean meal (by 2.0 times or by 25.4 million US dollars). At the same time, imports of rice decreased (by 19.1% or 71.4 million US dollars), frozen fish (by 21.1% or 50.6 million US dollars) and palm oil (by 31.3% or 28.6 million US dollars).
In 2022, the main suppliers of agricultural products to Cameroon were France and India, which accounted for 14.9% and 13.9% of imports in value terms, respectively. The top 5 exporting countries also included Argentina (7.8%), Brazil (6.1%) and Thailand (5.3%). In total, the top 10 supplier countries accounted for 66.7% of the value of imports of Cameroon's agricultural products.
Exports of agricultural products to Cameroon from Argentina increased most significantly in 2022 (2.6 times compared to 2021 or by 82.1 million US dollars), Brazil (by 92.8% or by 50.0 million US dollars) and the United States (2.5 times or by 40.6 million US dollars). Argentina increased wheat supplies by 11.4 times (from 5.0 million US dollars to 56.9 million US dollars).
Brazil exported 2.4 times more beet and cane sugar (from $32.7 million to $78.7 million). The United States increased exports of other food products by 11.7 times (from 1.1 million US dollars to 12.5 million US dollars), and also resumed supplies of wheat.
At the same time, exports of agricultural products to Cameroon from Thailand (by 30.5% or by 39.7 million US dollars) and China (by 32.1% or by 34.0 million US dollars) decreased. Both countries have significantly reduced rice supplies — Thailand from 129.6 million US dollars to 88.5 million US dollars, China from 74.4 million US dollars to 8.5 million US dollars.
In 2022, the volume of exports of Cameroon's agricultural products amounted to slightly more than 1.0 billion US dollars, an increase of 12.4% compared to the level of 2021. In 2018-2022, the volume of imports of the country's agricultural products in value terms grew annually by an average of 8.1%.
The main exports of Cameroon's agricultural products in 2022 were cocoa beans (47.0% of the value of exports), bananas (15.5%), cocoa butter and cocoa fat (11.8%), as well as cocoa paste (10.9%). In total, the top 10 exported types of products accounted for 90.7% of the country's agricultural exports in value terms.
Exports of bananas increased most noticeably in 2022 (by 3.1 times or by 106.9 million US dollars), cocoa butter and cocoa fat (by 59.0% or by 45.0 million US dollars). At the same time, exports of cocoa paste decreased (by 15.7% or $20.7 million).
The main importers of Cameroon's agricultural products in 2022 included the Netherlands (31.2% of the value of exports), France (15.1%) and Germany (8.0%). In total, the ten largest importers accounted for 87.1% of Cameroon's agricultural exports.
Relative to 2021, the most significant increase in the volume of purchases of agricultural products in Cameroon was carried out by France (by 75.5% or by 66.7 million US dollars), the Central African Republic (by 5.2 times or by 51.9 million US dollars) and the United Kingdom (by 6.6 times or by 41.4 million US dollars). France increased purchases of cocoa butter and cocoa fat (by 60.7%, from 53.1 million US dollars to 85.3 million US dollars).
The Central African Republic has increased imports of a number of goods, including meat, dairy products, fish and other foodstuffs. The UK bought 7.3 times more bananas (imports of these products from Cameroon increased from 6.5 million US dollars to 47.0 million US dollars in 2022).
At the same time, the volume of imports of Cameroonian products by the Netherlands decreased (by 17.1% or by 65.8 million US dollars) — the country reduced purchases of cocoa beans by 20.0% (from 355.7 million US dollars to 284.5 million US dollars).
