Cameron spent FCFA22.3 billion on wine and liquor imports in 2023, marking a 14.3% increase from the previous year, as per the latest report by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).
The report however highlights that the country purchased a total of 11,206 tons of wines and liquors over the period, down 853 tons compared to 2022’s 12,059 tons.
INS reported that importations of liquors alone increased by FCFA3.3 billion, rising from FCFA7.3 billion in 2022 to FCFA10.6 billion in 2023, up more than 45%. Meanwhile, wine imports, which dominated in 2022, declined in both value and volume in 2023.
According to official data, Cameroonian traders imported 8,216 tons of wines by December 31, 2023, for FCFA11.7 billion. In 2022, the amount was FCFA12.2 billion and the volume 9,311.5 tons, indicating respective decreases of 11.8% and 3.7%.
While the INS report doesn’t specify the countries benefitting from Cameroon’s wine and liquor import expenditures, it’s known that French vineyards are major suppliers to the country. According to the Trade Data Monitor, French wines alone represented 71.03% of Cameroon’s purchases in 2022.
The top three wine suppliers to Cameroon in 2022 were European countries, with Spain and Belgium holding 13.5% and 9.2% market shares, respectively. However, there has been a noticeable emergence of Italian wines in Cameroon in recent years. The T
rade Data Monitor showed that in 2022, imports of Italian wines surged by over 75% annually. This coincided with Italy’s wine promotion campaigns held in Cameroon and spearheaded by the Italian Embassy in Yaoundé.