Cameroon wheat import value up 8.4% in Q2 2025 despite modest sourcing shifts

CAMEROON – Cameroon imported 278,408 metric tons of wheat in the second quarter of 2025 at a cost exceeding CFA45 billion (US$75 million), according to data from the National Shippers’ Council of Cameroon.

The volume and value both increased compared with the same period in 2024, when imports stood at 270,645 tons valued at CFA41.5 billion (US$69 million).

This represents a 2.9% increase in volume and an 8.4% rise in value year on year, underlining sustained demand and higher import costs for the cereal.

The data confirms wheat’s central role in Cameroon’s food import structure and its contribution to the country’s widening trade deficit.

Wheat remains a staple for household consumption and a critical raw material for the domestic milling industry, which supplies flour to bakeries and food processors across the country.

Despite policy discussions around diversification, local supply continues to fall far short of demand, leaving the market heavily exposed to international price movements and logistics conditions.

While the official figures do not provide a detailed breakdown of origins, sector data indicate that Poland remains one of Cameroon’s main wheat suppliers.

Imports from Poland were valued at CFA18.2 billion (US$30 million) in the second quarter of 2025, down from CFA20 billion (US$33 million) a year earlier.

The decline suggests a modest adjustment in sourcing patterns rather than a structural shift, as millers continue to rely on established Black Sea and European origins for quality and consistency.

Within Cameroon’s overall import basket, wheat accounted for 4% of total import value during the period, alongside other strategic food commodities.

Frozen fish represented 7%, while rice also stood at 4%. This composition highlights the extent to which the country depends on external markets for basic foodstuffs, particularly cereals, and the pressure this places on foreign exchange reserves.

The steady rise in wheat imports has revived debate around import substitution and food security. In response, the Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD) launched a harvest campaign for basic wheat seeds on January 23, 2026, at Wassandé in the Adamaoua region.

The site is symbolically significant, having previously hosted the former Wheat Development Corporation, which collapsed several decades ago.

Authorities expect about 600 tons of basic seeds from the Wassandé site. These seeds will be supplied to seed multipliers, who are tasked with producing larger volumes of certified seeds for distribution to farmers through the Ministry of Agriculture.

According to IRAD, cumulative basic seed production at Wassandé over a little more than three years is expected to reach 1,600 tons in the coming days.

The seed program forms part of a broader government effort to revive domestic wheat production in response to what officials describe as a structurally heavy import bill.

In July 2022, the president authorized the phased release of CFA10 billion (US$17 million) over five years to support the initiative.

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