Cameroon cocoa growers left with unsold stock as global prices in meltdown

Cocoa producers in Cameroon are facing growing distress due to a massive price collapse compared to the record highs of previous seasons.

"There has been overproduction this year, and the market has balanced out overall," said cocoa supplier Fanda Sangou, noting that many farmers have chosen to hold onto their stock in hopes that prices will recover.

Footage published on Wednesday shows cocoa farmers harvesting and cutting cacao pods in the village of Sa'a near Yaounde, where farmers reported significant losses by February 2026 after prices fell from 6,000 CFA francs per kilogram (around $10) in June 2024 to just 1,200 CFA francs (around $2).

In the Centre and South regions, some growers are reportedly abandoning cocoa or cutting down trees to plant more stable crops, while others are turning to coffee as robusta prices overtake cocoa.

"It no longer encourages me to plant another field as I had planned. So I've chosen to grow other things like mandarins and fruit trees instead. Honestly, the price of cocoa on the market is a real let-down; it doesn’t encourage us to plant any more fields," said a cocoa farmer in Sa'a.

The downturn has been especially challenging for farmers as Cameroon set a floor price of 3,200 CFA ($5.6) at the start of the season.

Experts say the downturn reflects deeper structural challenges affecting the cocoa sector.

"The plantations of major producers such as Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana are in decline for three reasons: the plantations are ageing, the land is already fully cultivated, and climate change is having an impact; consequently, there is inevitably a reduction in production," explained Simon Bassanaga, a cocoa expert.

Ndi Stephane, a cocoa trader, said that the situation has made it difficult to sustain their businesses and support their families.

"When we buy cocoa from producers, we used to have profit margins that could feed our families. So that's where we're suffering. Some have even refused to buy cocoa this year," he said.

According to the Cameroonian Ministry of Trade and the National Cocoa and Coffee Board, in 2024-2025, marketed production had exceeded the 300,000-tonne threshold, reaching over 309,000 tonnes, whilst local processing had increased by nearly 28 per cent.

The fall in world prices, estimated at nearly 70 per cent since December 2025, has brought the market to a standstill.

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