The Cameroonian corn industry is facing the dilemma of skyrocketing production costs.

Between 2017 and 2021, the annual average corn production was 2.2 million tons, but the supply still fell short of demand, reaching as high as 2.8 million tons as early as 2019. Driven by population growth and the expansion of the agri-food industry, the demand growth rate has exceeded supply. The country is facing a structural trade deficit, with imports reaching 81,833 tons in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 103.1%. Over five years, the import volume has almost tripled, totaling 19.4 billion Central African CFA francs (approximately $34.33 million). Argentina remains the main supplier of corn. In 2023, the average corn yield per hectare was 1.8 tons, far below the global standard of 5.9 tons per hectare and lagging behind African countries such as South Africa, which produced 6.4 tons per hectare. The annual growth rate of national corn production was 2.2%, while the population growth rate was 2.8%. The reason for the lagging production is that the agricultural model in Ka is ...