Cameroon Coffee: Why Production Collapsed Over 30 Years

Coffee once ranked as Cameroon’s top agricultural export. Today, it’s fifth—and falling fast. If current trends continue, the country’s decades-long coffee collapse may become irreversible. For anyone curious why a former top-12 global producer now struggles to maintain relevance, the numbers tell the story.

As of the 2012/2013 harvest ending September 15, 2013, Cameroon’s total commercial coffee output dropped to 16,142 tonnes—down 21,985 tonnes from the previous year’s 38,127 tonnes. That includes both Robusta and Arabica, with the former seeing sharp declines and the latter stagnating.

The Long Decline of Cameroon Coffee

Over the past 30 years, Cameroon’s coffee sector has steadily deteriorated. In 1986, the country produced a record 132,000 tonnes of coffee, making it the 12th largest global producer. Since then, output has plummeted by roughly 100,000 tonnes. Annual production has fallen at an average rate of 0.4%, reducing Cameroon to a minor player in African coffee. It now ranks fifth among African coffee exporters, behind Uganda, Ethiopia, Côte d’Ivoire, and Tanzania. Around 400,000 rural households still grow coffee, and approximately 2.8 million people depend on coffee farming for their livelihoods.

What’s Behind the Collapse?

According to analysis by the Cameroon Coffee and Cocoa Council (CICC), multiple factors have driven the industry’s decline. Externally, global coffee price drops have made farming increasingly unprofitable. Domestically, challenges include shortages and high costs of agricultural inputs, weak infrastructure for producing quality seeds, shrinking farm sizes and yields, an aging farming population, lack of youth interest, and critical gaps in post-harvest processing equipment—especially for washing and pulping.

Efforts to Revive the Sector

In response, the Cameroon Coffee and Cocoa Council has launched an emergency plan aimed at revitalizing the industry. Key measures include rehabilitating coffee farms, attracting younger farmers, improving access to arable land and financing, and professionalizing the workforce across the value chain. These steps target the root causes of decline in an effort to make Cameroon’s coffee sector viable again.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much coffee did Cameroon produce in 2012/2013?

In the 2012/2013 harvest season, Cameroon produced a total of 16,142 tonnes of commercial coffee, a sharp drop from 38,127 tonnes the previous year—a decline of 21,985 tonnes.

Was Cameroon ever a major coffee producer?

Yes. In 1986, Cameroon produced 132,000 tonnes of coffee, ranking as the 12th largest coffee producer in the world.

Why has Cameroon’s coffee production declined?

Production dropped due to falling global coffee prices, limited access to farming inputs, poor seed supply, aging farmers, youth disinterest, small farm sizes, reduced yields, and a lack of processing equipment—especially for washing and pulping.

What is the Cameroon Coffee and Cocoa Council doing to help?

The Council has introduced an emergency plan focused on farm rehabilitation, youth involvement, better land and funding access, and workforce professionalization to rebuild the sector.

How many people depend on coffee in Cameroon?

Approximately 2.8 million people rely on coffee production and farming for their livelihoods, spread across around 400,000 rural households.

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