Research to Assess the Effects of the Restrictions on Importation of Frozen Chicken on Cameroon’s Poultry Sector

Agriculture is a very important sector in the Cameroonian economy, as it employs 70% of its workforce, accounts for 42% of Gross Domestic Product and 30% of export revenue (Encyclopaedia of the Nations » Africa » Cameroon). The country has rich soils and a good climate to promote the production of diverse products. Between 1990 and 2005, agricultural yields had improved considerably, leading to an increase in the agricultural gross domestic product by 4%. Its agricultural products include coffee, cocoa beans, oil seeds, banana, cassava, grains, livestock and timber. The focus here is on the livestock of Cameroon’s agricultural production; and poultry will be the value chain of interest.

According to a study carried out in 2004 198, 614 households were involved in poultry farming, including chicken and in 2005, an estimated amount of 33.6 million chickens were produced. Even though we see these large figures, production was not enough to satisfy local demand and to this effect, it is noticed that from 1999 to 2004, there was heavy importation of frozen chicken from the European Union. This was done giving reasons that imported chicken was cheaper and affordable and was able to satisfy the high demand, which local production could not (source: department of statistics in the general directorate of customs – Douala, Cameroon). The data to explain this will be found in section four (4) of this paper.

1.1.2 Problem Statement

“No prohibitions or restrictions other than duties, taxes or other charges, whether made effective through quotas, import or export licences or other measures, shall be instituted or maintained by any contracting party on the importation of any product of the territory of any other contracting party or on the expo...

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...iculture is responsible for 42% of the country’s gross domestic product, its practices should be taught in schools right from the basic levels, so as to encourage the youth to pick up an interest and get engaged into it.

- Poultry production depends on other agricultural sectors and therefore, some of those sectors also need to be made very effective and efficient and the authorities should ensure that they made these other areas very competitive. Such an area is the maize value chain, which is an exclusive component, as it helps to feed poultry. There is a fear that poultry production will face a drastic drop in Cameroon, due to very low production of corn, which is used to feed chicken. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MINADER), annual output in Cameroon was 3.6 million heads, as per 2009 findings and is forecasted to triple by 2015.