• Wega Food to boost sugar output to 700 tons/day within three months
  
• Company claims expansion will end shortages and enable refined sugar exports
  
• Sector faces labor, policy hurdles as Cameroon eyes sugar self-sufficiency
  

Wega Food, a Cameroonian white sugar producer, is preparing for an expansion that could reshape the domestic sugar market. The company, which operates a refinery in Douala’s industrial zone, said its production capacity will reach 700 metric tons per day within three months once its expansion project is completed. The ramp-up aims to secure national supply and generate surpluses for export, the company said.

“With the imminent extension of our capacity, Cameroon will even have surpluses allowing it to become an exporter of refined sugar,” Wega Food General Manager Christian Ngandeu said in a letter to the Ministry of Commerce on November 14.

The position echoes earlier calls by SOSUCAM, the country’s main sugar producer, which has urged the government to tighten import controls to protect the local industry. Wega Food argued that SOSUCAM’s current production season, combined with the Douala refinery’s existing capacity, would be enough to meet national demand from both households and industries, making additional refined sugar imports unnecessary.

Role in Stabilizing Supply

Wega Food also claims it has played a key role in stabilizing supply in recent months. Despite “significant constraints,” the company said it secured several raw sugar contracts that enabled the refinery to maintain sufficient market volumes and avoid the chronic shortages that occurred in previous years.

“Without Wega Food’s continued efforts, Cameroon would still be facing a deficit of sugar to refine, as in many past years,” the company said, adding that its model has helped keep prices accessible for households and agro-industrial clients.

According to industry players, available capacity now exceeds 100,000 metric tons, including about 70,000 tons from the Douala refinery and roughly 30,000 tons imported to meet short-term needs of distributors and manufacturers. These volumes exist in a market where annual demand is close to 300,000 tons, a structural deficit that has led the government to authorize imports in recent years. Wega Food’s ambitions for self-sufficiency and even exports come as the market remains under significant strain.

Social and Regulatory Challenges

Several challenges must still be addressed for the capacity increase to meaningfully transform the sector. First, the company must resolve ongoing labor issues to secure harvests and processing operations. Second, the government must clarify its policy position on balancing protection for local producers with supply security for households and industries.

The long-term credibility of Cameroon’s sugar sector will depend on how effectively the country balances production volumes, pricing, and investment.

Amina Malloum, Business in Cameroon