By Martin Njikeng
The current Russian-Ukraine armed conflict has caused an increase in the prices of wheat flour in the world market (FCFA 200,000 to 280,000). This hike is very disastrous on the costs of bread, pasta, cakes and other wheat derivatives in Cameroon. Hence, the government has decided to intensify efforts to promote local flour production.
On that note, an Awareness-Raising and Information Workshop for Local Flour Promoters of the West and North West Regions, on the creation of a Platform bringing together all the Local Flour Promoters in Cameroon was organized in Bafoussam, by the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development (MINEPAT), on April 22, 2022.
The Inter-Regional and Awareness-Raising and Information Workshop, was presided over by West Governor, Awa Fonka Augustine. Local administrators, professionals and actors in the chain of the production, use and promotion of local flour, also took part in the said event.
“Within the framework of implementing government policy of import-substitution in the area of wheat, MINEPAT, on June19, 2017, set up an Inter-Ministerial Working Group charged with making proposals for the creation of a Platform for local flour promoters in Cameroon. The main mandate of this interdisciplinary working group was to carry out an in-depth study aimed at bringing together all the promoters of local flour within a single national Platform’’, the statement of the Director General of Planning and Regional Development (MINEPAT),Zoutene Doufene. He gave this historical background in Bafoussam, on behalf of Minister Alamine ousmane Mey (MINEPAT).
The working group’s reflections, he went on; led to the elaboration of a draft status for the imminent Platform. Therefore, he said; the Bafoussam meeting on local flour production was aimed at sharing the draft status with the various stake holders so as to ensure the ownership and adhesion of the various stakeholders, and to eventually set up the umbrella organization via the holding of aConstitutive General Assembly, in order to better structure the sector.
The SUN also gathered that the workshop is threefold and covers the entire national territory.It started in Mbankomo (Centre), inFebruary2021, covering the Centre, East and South Regions .In May, 2022, it will continue in Douala with stake holders from the Littoral and South West regions .The workshop would finally end in Garoua, in June 2022, for the three northern regions of the country.
This series of workshops, which brings together producers, processors, distributors, consumers and services in the sector of local flour, is a prerequisite for holding of the Constitutive General Assembly.
According to the National Institute of Statistics, the trade balance deficit of Cameroon has increased from FCFA 590 Billion in 2010 to 1,292 Billion in 2019 and the situation is not getting any better for import bill for food items. Wheat flour and meslin imports accounted for FCFA 180,260 Billion for a volume of 953,476 tons in 2021, which represent 30% increase in value and 12% decrease in quantity as compare to the previousyear.
The ongoing Russia and Ukraine conflict has caused the international market price for a ton of wheat flour to movefrom FCFA 200,000/ton in 2021 to 280,000/ton in March 2022. This explains government’s move to step-up actions to promote local flour production in the country. Cameroon is in need of preventative and projective economic policies that prosper its citizens not one that manages crisis.