CAMEROON – Africa Food Manufacture (AFM), leading producer of pasta in Cameroon has a signed an XAF13 bln (US$23.4m) investment agreement with country’s investment promotion agency, API for the construction of a durum flour production plant.
According to reports by Business in Cameroon, the plant will be the first of its kind in the country and is projected to produce about 350 tons of pasta daily.
It will create about 700 jobs and is set to change the landscape of pasta market in Cameroon as AFM will become the main supplier of drum flour to pasta processors operating in the country.
To this end local pasta will become as competitive as imported ones usually from European countries.
AFM produces pasta under the brand names Seniorita, Rahama, Pasta Bella, Bolero and Taliya
As a result of the agreement, the company, which started operations in Douala in 2016 will benefit from tax and customs incentives for 5-10 years.
Meanwhile, Cameroonian agro-pastoral and industrial company of Ngaoussai in Adamaoua region, has also signed a XAF9 billion (US$16.2m) investment agreement with Investment Promotion Agency (API) for the construction of a dairy plant.
The plant will be utilized for the processing of milk, yoghurt, cheese and biogas.
Upon completion of the project, it is set to create about 220 jobs.
Adamawa is one of the largest cattle-rearing regions in Cameroon but has no infrastructure for value adding dairy products.
Two of such plants have been setup in Ngaoundéré and Meiganga region by the government but production has never started.
According to the Ministry of Livestock, Cameroon’s milk deficit averages 170,000 tons per year since national production is usually close to 125,000 tons against demand of estimated at 297,000 tons.
Experts explain that this deficit is due to the low output of the cow species used by producers, and the isolation of the main production areas.
Liked this article? Subscribe to Food Business Africa News, our regular email newsletters with the latest news insights from Africa and the World’s food and agro industry. SUBSCRIBE HERE
