To boost quantity, quality production: Cameroon Inter-professional Council of Palm Oil Producers created.

The creation of the Cameroon Inter-professional Council of Palm Oil Producers, better known by its French acronym, INTERPALM-CAM, has been announced.

The newly created entity, with the main objective of boosting the quality and quantity of palm oil production in the country, was presented during a press conference in Yaounde December 5.

The initiative has been spearheaded by some leaders of three professional organisations in the palm oil sector, notably the Cameroon Oil Palm Growers, UNEXPALM; Cameroon National Palm Oil Producers Syndicate, POPS-SNPHPC and Cameroon Oilseed Refiners Association, ASROC. 

Speaking during the press conference, the Secretary General of ASROC, Jacquis Kemleu, said the association has been created to propel the country’s palm oil production and quality. 

According to him, if production quality and quantity is improved, it will not only satisfy local demands of households and industries, but will halt the high imports of palm oil and consequently contribute to Cameroon's economic development.

“Our main objective is to work hard to increase the crude palm oil we need in our factories and households,” Kemleu, who also doubles as Mayor of Dschang, said. 

Further highlighting the necessity for its creation, Kemleu revealed that there has been a deficit in the production of palm oil for household and industrial needs, forcing local industries to resort to importation, despite the country’s huge potential.

He lamented that: “Today we have a deficit in our oil palm sector and we were obliged to import a quantity of about 200,000 tonnes of palm oil, authorised by the state. So far, 170,000 tonnes have been imported, which is not something good for our economy, because we have a problem of currency…” 

Stakeholders in group photo after press conference

“So we are determined to make sure that we produce in quantity and quality and an affordable price. The consumers need our products in very affordable prices and when we are obliged to import the crude oil as raw materials, it’s not easy for us to make the price level affordable for the consumers,” he added.

On his part, the Secretary General of UNEXPALM, Paul Felix Bangoweni, said their priority will be to build a shared vision of the future of the oil palm industry, with clear objectives, between serious actors and professionals, in partnership with the State, as well as identifying the strategic actions needed to develop production and generate income such as investment, group purchasing, and training.

Bangoweni also told journalists that INTERPALM-CAM will engage with different stakeholders in consultation on the price of bunches of oil palm, crude oil, refined oil and other by-products, and submit to the State for approval. 

“What we expect as producers is that we will get internal resources by selling our products at better prices, because we are in connection with partners who are buying our products,” he attested. 

Meanwhile, the Secretary General of POPS-SNPHPC, Germain Jules Kamta, opined that the palm oil sector provides a huge potential as they also envisage ensuring the creation of jobs and ameliorating the life of local farmers, by defending their interests.

“The palm oil sector is one that was identified by the government as having a huge growth potential and capable of impacting at two levels of development,” Kamta said.