(Business in Cameroon) – Cameroon exported 11,500 tons of rice between July and September this year, according to the October 7 Customs Newsletter by the Directorate General of Customs. This volume marks an increase of 9,023 tons (+364%) compared to the same period in 2023. The exports generated CFA6.8 billion in revenue, up 210%. The customs department does not provide the reasons behind this increase.
In 2023, the country exported 20,000 tons of rice to other African countries, with over 15,494 tons sent to Chad. According to the National Institute of Statistics (INS), this trade generated CFA10.7 billion with Chad remaining Cameroon’s main customer, sourcing most of its rice from the Société d’expansion et de modernisation de la riziculture de Yagoua (Semry). The latter produces between 80,000 and 100,000 tons of riccce annually.
Other neighboring countries, such as Nigeria, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea, also buy rice from Cameroon. However, significant quantities sold in these countries often end up being smuggled, avoiding Cameroonian customs oversight. Official sources indicate that some rice imported by Cameroonian traders for the local market is sometimes re-exported to neighboring countries. According to the INS, in 2019, traders re-exported 332,300 tons of rice to these countries, generating nearly CFA87 billion in revenue, even as Cameroon struggles to meet its national demand of 576,949 tons per year.
