Cocoa farm-gate prices in Cameroon rose during the first two weeks of April as demand picked up after a slight fall in March, farmers said on Tuesday. Prices in the world's fifth-biggest producer peaked in February when the main crop ended and world prices increased. Beans fetched as much as 1155 CFA francs ($2.31) per kg, up from 850-900 in March, in the south-western region of Mamfe.
"There are few beans on the market, but demand has remained high as many merchants continue to flock in from Kumba and Douala to compete for the beans," said Dickson Tambe, farmer and executive manager of the Mamfe Central Area Co-operative.
Earlier this week, a major exporter said favourable weather and better roads had improved cocoa quality in the south-west production zone. Cocoa futures have been among the best performing commodities on world markets in recent months, supported partly by a poor supply outlook in No 1 grower Ivory Coast.
Cocoa for delivery in May traded up to 1,974 pounds per tonne in London in early April, but had slipped to 1,838 pounds by 1227 GMT on Tuesday. In the southern Cameroonian region of Ebolowa, prices rebounded to February levels of 975-1,000 CFA francs per kg, farmers said, far higher than is usual in April.
Field reports from the central regions of Bafia and Emana said that though supply fell in April, it was higher than in previous seasons. "If things continue like this to the end of this month and in May, there may be no break between the main and mid-crop harvests," said Bafia grower Emmanuel Nguile.
Cameroon's cocoa season runs from August 1 to July 31, with the main harvest between November and February and the mid crop harvest from late April or May to early July. Cameroon's production peaked at 187,355 tonnes in 2007/08, when it exported 162,220 tonnes of cocoa beans the same year, up from 157,378 tonnes the previous season.