Will Cameroon continue to import palm oil in 2020?
For 2020, the Cameroonian government has authorized an import of 70,000 MT of CPO. In Cameroon, the area under the oil palm is likely to continue to increase for a couple of reasons. First, Cameroon is a net importer of palm oil and with a growing population, its demand is also increasing.
Does Cameroon need more palm oil?
Cameroon is committed to expand its production of oil, and to address its current net balance of trade (as of 2012, Cameroon imports 50,000 tons of palm oil per year). There are concerns that leasing large tracts of forest to the international agricultural industry is not the way to address the demand for palm oil.
Can the palm oil industry develop sustainably in Cameroon?
With Cameroon committed to grow its domestic production of palm oil, there are concerns that the price of this expansion will be paid in the country¡¯s forests. This working paper seeks to stimulate a debate to ensure that the palm oil industry can develop sustainably in Cameroon.
Where do oil palms grow in Cameroon?
It is estimated that in Southwest Cameroon, a top producing palm oil region of Africa, 67% of oil palm expansion from 2000-2015 occurred at the expense of forest (Ordway et al., 2019). Many regions in Cameroon have the required growing conditions for oil palm. South-West, South, and Littoral are the most attractive regions for investors.