Bolstering The Coffee Sector:Promoters Call For Collective Action

Cameroon’s coffee sector requires the involvement of all and sundry in promoting the coffee sector which has been freefalling for the past 30 years. The calls for concerted effort were made during the opening on April 16 in Yaounde, of the 7th edition of the annual coffee festival codenamed, FESTICOFFEE - an initiative of the Cocoa and Coffee Interprofessional Council (CCIC).

The Minister of Trade, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, spoke at the event while launching the National Coffee Tasting Day; one of several activities planned for the two-day event. He said it is not time to relent efforts. Referring to a study carried out recently by an American economist that predicted a bright future of Africa’s coffee, he said Cameroon is the new land of coffee.

“The coffee sector was affected by adverse factors in the international market. The slowdown of the sector did not affect Cameroon alone ,but we are engaged in valorizing the sector, especially local processing through events like this,” he said, adding that processing coffee into finished products locally, will reduce the effects of external shocks.The Minister said everybody can contribute to strengthening the coffee sector, and urged citizens to consume locally manufactured coffee.

Micheal Ndopin, General Manager of the National Cocoa and Coffee Board on his part, said for Cameroonians to make the best out of the coffee sector, it is important to increase production alongside consumption. “The Minister is right. We need to consume what we produce. But we must do our best to increase production. If we are not careful, demand may soon exceed production and we will find ourselves importing coffee. But it is important to note that though production has dropped in the past thirty years, the quality of our coffee beans has increased due to new varieties.”

Fonguh Peter, Marketing Of...