(Business in Cameroon) – Cameroon aims to boost its rice production from 140,710 tons to 460,000 tons by 2027. This ambitious plan, which seeks to nearly triple production in just four years, is part of the country’s Medium-Term Economic and Budgetary Framework 2025-2027, prepared by the Ministry of Finance. However, the document does not specify the concrete steps the government will take to achieve this goal.
If Cameroon succeeds in reaching this target, it will take a significant step toward achieving its broader objective of producing 750,000 tons of rice annually by 2030. According to official sources, this volume would allow the country to increase its rice self-sufficiency rate to 97%, in line with the goals of the rice development strategy adopted on May 16, 2023. This strategy comes with a budget of CFA385 billion.
However, despite this ambition to triple rice production by 2027, domestic supply will still fall short of demand. According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, rice demand in Cameroon, which has been steadily rising, was estimated at 576,949 tons as of 2020. With a projected production of 460,000 tons by 2027, there will still be a gap of at least 110,000 tons, which will need to be filled by imports, continuing to burden the country’s trade balance.
According to the National Institute of Statistics (INS), Cameroon imported 652,565 tons of rice during the first ten months of 2022, valued at CFA162.5 billion. These rice imports accounted for 4.6% of the country’s total import value. By comparison, in 2021, rice import spending reached CFA207.9 billion, representing 5.4% of the country’s total imports.
In addition to impacting the country’s trade balance, Cameroon’s rice imports have also fueled illegal re-export practices. Since 2008, rice has been exempt from taxes in Cameroon following the so-called “hunger riots.” Since 2016, it has been subject to a reduced customs duty of 5%. However, this imported rice is often smuggled into Nigeria, where rice is heavily taxed to promote local production. Neighboring countries like Gabon and Equatorial Guinea also receive re-exported rice from Cameroon, attracted by the competitive prices on Cameroonian markets.
According to INS data, fraudulent re-exportation of rice intended for local consumption cost Cameroon CFA87 billion in 2019.
