Cameroon Cocoa.
Why the focus on Cameroon Cocoa?
According to International Trade Centre, Cameroon is part of the West African cocoa belt, and its cocoa is believed to have roots from a Trinitario strain. Cameroon cocoa has a slight unique advantage over the regular West African basic beans. The beans are darker, more reddish break and has a more pungent flavor (International Trade Centre, 2001). Cocoa beans from Cameroon tends to be preferred by European cocoa-pressing industry for its higher-than-average cocoa butter content. Additionally, Cameroon cocoa can be processed into a highly prized red powder, used as a coloring and flavoring agent in the dairy and baking industry (International Trade Centre, 2001). Cameroon’s cocoa season runs throughout the year with October to February as the main harvest period (DRUM Commodities, 2012).Cocoa
PRODUCTION PROCESS FOR COCOA
Cocoa Bean is a small dried and fully fermented seed from which other products such as butter, chocolate, powder and cocoa oil can be extracted. The Normal height of a cocoa tree can be between 5-8 meters with leaves that measure about 12 inches in length depending on the area. The fruit also called cocoa pod is 15-30cm (2-12inch) long and 8-10cm wide. Immature or unripe cocoa pods appears green, purple or red. It then turns yellow once its ready for harvest.
After planting, cocoa takes between four to five years for it to be fully mature to a fruiting tree. The cocoa tree requires so much attention specially to ensure bumper harvest. Climatic condition, soil texture, proper application of chemicals and accessibility to farms are some factors that determines yields. The process involves:
- The pods are opened using sticks to avoid wounding the beans.
- The beans are taken out of the pods and into a container preferably a basket to prepare for fermentation.
- Once the beans are removed from the pods, it is transported and kept in either nylon bags, fermentation boxes or locally covered with banana leaves for fermentation to take place.
- Good fermentation takes between 6-10 days.
DRYING
- In the South-West Forest region of Cameroon with moist and heavy rains during the harvest season, cocoa is dried using smoke free ovens on a flat surface with no direct contact with fire. Most of the cocoa produced in the Centre region is sun dry due to its favorably hot climate during harvest.
- Once dried, sorting is done whereby flat, germinated, slaty and broken beans are taken out to keep just the good quality for the market.
- The cocoa is kept in jute sacks to ease respiration and kept in a cool dry place away from the ground and the wall.
Production Zones
Cocoa in Cameroon is grown in six regions of the country:
- Centre Region (43.6%) Zones: Mbangassina, Ntui, Obala, Makenene, Bafia Etc.
- South-West (31.6%) Zones: Kumba, Mamfe, Munyenge, Muyuka, Tombel, Konye
- Littoral (13.6%) Zones: Mbanga, Loum.
- South (5.2%) Ebolowa
- East (3.1 %) Yokadouma, Mulundu.
- West (2.9%) Sanchou.
The Centre and South-West regions of the country make up for 75% of the national production with the best qualities coming from zones like Munyenge, Kumba, Mamfe, Mbangassina and Bafia.
- Unfortunately, there are of problems in the cocoa supply chain in Cameroon such as Child labor, modern slavery, and poverty. Some farm owners and sharecroppers still live below poverty level, are unable to treat farms, are unable to purchase the right chemicals and acquire necessary facilities for their farms.
- This is a challenge for exporting companies whose focus is to bridge the gap between the local farming communities and the final consumers. And this is where Premium Agric Products comes in, to bridge that farmer – consumer gap through the introduction of modern farming techniques where efforts of farmers and sharecroppers will be traced and rewarded.
