The decision entered into force on 27 December following a note signed by the Director General of Cameroon Customs.
Cameroonian customs "temporarily" suspends the export of peanuts and vegetable oils produced in the territory. Based on a memo from the Director General of Customs; this suspension concerns vegetable oils of several brands: Mayor, Azur, Neima, Star Oil and Pacific oil.
In recent weeks, a low availability of vegetable oils on the market has led to soaring prices. The one-liter format of some brands has increased from 1100 F to 1350 FCFA.Other brands go so far as to cross the low of 1600 FCFA. However, last November, refiners reassured consumers of the availability of stocks during and after the end of the year holidays.
"The service and users are informed that the export operations of cereals (peanuts) and vegetable oils (Mayor, Azur, Neïma, Diamaor, Star oil and Pacific oil) produced in Cameroon suspended from the date of signature of this memorandum. Customs sector heads," writes DG Fongod Edwin Nuvaga.
The majority of rice production is exported
Cameroonian Customs explains that this suspensive measure follows a correspondence from the Minister of Commerce to the Governor of the Far North Region. Magloire Mbarga Atangana ordered him to take the necessary measures to prohibit the export of cereals (rice, maize, millet, sorghum) to border countries. This is in order to curb the soaring prices on the local market, and guarantee the supply of the populations.
As revealed by the Bureau de mise à niveau des entreprises (BMN) in a study, about 70% of rice production in Cameroon is exported to Nigeria.
This measure is certainly part of a trend to lower the price of these essential commodities.
Let us also recall that Cameroon has put on the index the television channel France 24 for having made a report on the high cost of living in Cameroon.