Schematic of palm oil supply chain in Cameroon. Oil palm producers use different milling strategies at the processing stage that are linked to their role in the supply chain. Percentages indicate the fraction of survey respondents that follow a given milling path in the supply chain.
When was the first oil palm planted in Cameroon?
Oil palm was first planted commercially in Cameroon in 1907 in some of the earliest oil palm plantations in Africa ( Hoyle and Levang, 2012 ). Six agro-industrial companies (hereafter referred to as industrial producers) currently operate in Cameroon and produce over half of the country¡¯s palm oil.
What are the characteristics of oil palm producers in Cameroon?
3.1. General characteristics of oil palm producers in Cameroon Only 5.4% of farms produced palm oil strictly for personal consumption. Nearly all respondents were engaged in either formal or informal markets, where the latter refers to markets that lack formal contracts and government regulation.
Does clearing forest increase palm oil production in southwest Cameroon?
We found that 73% of oil palm producers in Southwest Cameroon reported clearing forest to expand cultivation, based on a survey of 546 farms. The magnitude of expansion was explained by differences in palm oil milling strategies and supply chain integration.