1. Agricultural products: Cameroon hopes to cooperate with Qingdao Center to enter the Chinese market
On September 9, 2024, the Ministry of Commerce announced an initiative to strengthen the influence of Cameroonian agricultural products in China through cooperation with the agricultural department of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization located in the Chinese port city of Qingdao International Product Exhibition and Trading Center. This initiative is part of the "From Cameroonian Farms to Chinese Table" program, which aims to promote Cameroonian agricultural products to the Chinese market, in line with the strategy of promoting the "Made in Cameroon" label. This is part of the global government strategy aimed at achieving export diversification and strengthening its influence in the international market.
The Qingdao International Convention and Exhibition Trade Center is considered an important hub for agricultural trade in Asia and has been identified as a strategic partner for this initiative. Minister of Commerce Luc Maglowal Mbarga Atangana recently visited the center, laying the foundation for good cooperation aimed at introducing Cameroonian agricultural products into the growing Chinese market. The plan perfectly embodies the vision of the President of the Republic to encourage the opening of new markets for our high-quality agricultural products. This is an excellent opportunity for our farmers to conquer the vast Chinese market, "the minister said at the end of the visit.
Pepper and chili pepper
The first batch of target products for this collaboration are chili and pepper, two Cameroonian spices known for their unique quality and flavor. The choice of these products is not accidental, "explained Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana." These spices reflect the richness and diversity of our terroir. They are increasingly popular in China, opening up extremely bright prospects for our producers. "As far as we know, the goal of this cooperation is to create a complete value chain, from Cameroonian farms to Chinese consumers' dining tables, through processing and marketing stages. This partnership is not limited to simple product exports. Its goal is to establish a true value chain that integrates product processing and marketing, "emphasized the government member. He added that the success of this initiative could also pave the way for the export of other Cameroonian agricultural products such as cocoa, coffee, and bananas.
China is one of Cameroon's major trading partners. According to the bilateral trade report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (INS) in June 2024, in 2023, exports to China ranked second in its Asian market, second only to India. At that time, Cameroon exported 936100 tons of goods to China, estimated to be worth 231.9 billion CFA francs, an increase of 33.9% from 2022.
However, over 97.3% of Cameroon's exports to China are primary products, mainly including crude oil and liquefied natural gas, accounting for 57.8% and 10.5% of the total exports in 2023, respectively. Forest products, such as unprocessed raw materials. The panoramic view is composed of Okan or Adum wood (6.4%), longitudinally sawn/planed Shabili wood (3.7%), uncut Tali logs (2.2%), and Allen premium cotton that is neither combed nor combed (3.1%). The government expects that diversifying exports through integrated processing of agricultural products can create new economic opportunities for Cameroon.
2. Kribi Port's new terminal receives five new cranes
On September 13th, a ship carrying important equipment from Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. arrived at Kribi Port. This delivery is of great significance to the port as it brings five new cranes to the Kribi Port Authority and marks the first time this 715 meter long new terminal has been put into use.
This dock is a major component of the second phase of the Kribi Industrial Port project. The Pakistan Ports Corporation stated, "This first port entry not only tested the 715 meter new terminal designed specifically for container loading and unloading, but also allowed us to receive five new shore cranes and two RTG cranes. We expect the remaining equipment to arrive before October 2024
The second phase includes several major improvements: construction of a new dock, extension of the breakwater by 675 meters, development of 30 hectares of storage space, and construction of an aluminum and hydrocarbon dock. The project also involves the purchase of advanced loading and unloading equipment, as well as the expansion of roads and infrastructure. The total cost of this stage is 400 billion CFA francs, of which 75% is funded by loans from the Export import Bank of China.
The Kribi Port Authority looks forward to future milestones. They announced, "Today's arrival marks the beginning of significant progress, including the arrival of more RTG cranes in October and the expected full completion by December 2024.
