Cocoa bean exports were 162,000 tonnes, down 28 percent from the same period last season.

Sole grinder SIC CACAO, owned by Barry Callebaut, ground 47,000 tonnes of beans, up by a third compared with the same period last season.

SIC CACAO increased grinding capacity to 50,000 tonnes from 30,000 tonnes.

Cameroon is world's fifth-biggest cocoa producer and No.3 in Africa behind Ivory Coast and Ghana.