Cameroon’s Minister of Trade has proposed a suspension on corn imports to address a substantial surplus of unsold domestic corn produce. In an official letter dated May 8 addressed to Gabriel Mbairobe, Minister of Agriculture, Trade Minister Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana urged the government to halt the issuance of new corn import permits. The proposal came in response to local farmers struggling with unsold harvests amid intense competition from imported corn.

 

Following an interministerial meeting chaired by the Prime Minister on May 7, 2026, authorities expressed concerns over massive corn imports and sluggish domestic sales. The trade minister recommended implementing protective measures, including an indefinite suspension of new import authorizations. The regulation applies not only to newly submitted applications but also to previously approved import permits, which will be temporarily frozen to restrict ongoing import operations.

 

Despite national efforts to boost local agricultural output, corn imports have surged sharply since 2023. The government has introduced various supportive policies, such as an 18-billion-CFA-franc corn processing plant constructed by the Castel Group in 2021 and agricultural programs designed to improve farmers’ productivity.

 

Official data from the National Institute of Statistics (INS) illustrates a rapid growth in corn imports. In 2023, import volume skyrocketed by 229% year-on-year to 39,991 metric tons, costing 7.8 billion CFA francs. Imports continued rising to 81,233 metric tons in 2024, valued at over 11 billion CFA francs, before a mild decline to 72,586 metric tons in 2025 with an import expenditure of 10.2 billion CFA francs.

 

Imported corn remains more cost-effective for Cameroonian industrial buyers. In May 2026, the price of imported corn ranged from 200 to 234 euros per metric ton, equivalent to approximately 131,000 to 155,000 CFA francs. In contrast, domestic corn was priced between 140,000 and 255,000 CFA francs per metric ton, with prices varying by region, corn variety and seasonal conditions.

 

Industry analysts attribute the price gap to low agricultural productivity in Cameroon, primarily caused by insufficient access to high-quality seeds. In 2023, the country’s average corn yield stood at merely 1.8 metric tons per hectare, far below the global average of 5.9 metric tons and South Africa’s 6.4 metric tons per hectare.

 

Low yields inevitably drive up production costs, reaching around 428,000 CFA francs per hectare. Compared with agricultural producers in Europe and the Americas, Cameroonian farmers face higher production expenses without equivalent government subsidies.