• Cameroon’s Q1 2025 palm oil output hits 77,630 tons, up sharply quarter-on-quarter
• Despite gains, output remains below demand; imports dropped 56% in 2024
• Government, Interpalm-Cam push recovery plan to boost self-sufficiency by 2026

Cameroon’s crude palm oil (CPO) output surged in the first quarter of 2025, reaching 77,630 tons, according to the Ministry of Finance’s quarterly economic bulletin. Driven by the peak harvest season, the figure was nearly three times higher than in the previous quarter. However, output fell 10.6% year-on-year, and forecasts indicate a further 2% decline by the end of 2025.

Meanwhile, imports of crude and refined oils fell slightly by 2% over the same period, though a rebound is expected later in the year to meet domestic demand. Refined oil output rose 7% quarter-on-quarter but remained 13% lower compared to the same period in 2024.

In 2024, Cameroon produced 446,984 tons of crude palm oil, according to Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute. Despite this, domestic output still falls far short of demand, leaving the country with a structural deficit exceeding 500,000 tons annually, according to the Association of Oilseed Refiners of Cameroon (Asroc).

This chronic shortfall has forced Cameroon to rely heavily on imports. Between 2017 and 2023, the country imported 409,000 tons worth 280.4 billion XAF, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INS).

The year 2024 marked a turning point: palm oil imports fell 56% to 68,719 tons, their lowest level since 2021. The decline stems from the creation of Interpalm-Cam, the sector’s first interprofessional body, and from the government’s drive to reduce external dependence.

 Interpalm-Cam aims to coordinate efforts to boost national production, improve quality, and meet domestic demand.

This approach aligns with the 2024-2026 palm oil recovery program, funded with 21.7 billion XAF. Led by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the plan supports key agro-industrial players (CDC, Socapalm, and Pamol) in modernizing processing facilities and raising yields.

With about 15 refining units either operating or under construction, Cameroon seeks to boost its palm oil self-sufficiency. Yet without a coherent, long-term supply strategy, the country will remain vulnerable to global market volatility and import dependency.

Amina Malloum, Business in Cameroon