Cameroon’s Crude Palm Oil Output Surges in Q1 2025 but Remains Below Domestic Demand

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 ...