By Emmanuel Tumanjong
Special to DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
YAOUNDE, Cameroon--Cameroon is processing more cocoa beans
locally, the national regulator has said, highlighting a move by
the government of the world's fifth-largest cocoa producer to
process at least 50% of its beans either partially or wholly before
export.
In the first 10 months of the 2013-14 season, the country's two
grinders consumed a higher volume of beans compared with the
year-earlier period, the National Cocoa and Coffee Board said.
The two factories are owned by Sic Cacao, the Cameroon-based
unit of Swiss firm Barry Callebaut AG (BARN.EB) and Tiger Brands
Ltd. (TBS.JO), the South African owner of Chocolaterie Confiserie
du Cameroun, or Chococam.
Their purchases between August and June in the current season
totaled 32,042 metric tons, up from 30,496 tons in the
season-earlier period.
In June alone, Sic Cacao bought 1,091 tons of cocoa beans, down
on the year-earlier month's 1,291 tons, while Chococam bought 131
tons of beans, unchanged on the year, the NCCB said in a
report.
Chocolate, cocoa powder, cocoa cake and liquor produced by the
two grinders are marketed mainly in the European Union, Cameroon
and its five neighbors in the Economic Community of Central African
States.
In the 2012-13 season, cocoa grindings totaled 32,019 tons,
compared with 29,924 tons in the previous season.
Total cocoa production in Cameroon in the same period stood at
228,911 tons, up from 220,000 tons produced in the previous season,
according to industry and government figures.
Cameroon's cocoa season officially runs from August through
July.
Write to Emmanuel Tumanjong at
realtimedesklondon@dowjones.com
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