Yaounde - Nestle's Cameroon subsidiary said it would begin construction in August of the country's first coffee processing plant, in a move to supply what is expected to be a growing regional market. Nestle will invest 20 billion CFA francs ($40.2 million) to build the factory, which will have the capacity to grind 20,000 tonnes of beans, more than half of Cameroon's total production even in a good crop year.
The processed coffee will initially be marketed domestically, though the company plans to eventually extend sales to the rest of the region, Nestle-Cameroun Chief Executive Bruno Olierhok told state radio. "Nestle wants to put affordable coffee within the reach of Cameroonian consumers and create jobs," Olierhok said. Rising incomes and populations in Africa and improved marketing campaigns are expected to boost coffee consumption in the region in coming years. Cameroon is one of the few countries in Africa that grow both robusta and arabica coffee. Total production was 38,127 tonnes for the strong 2011/12 season, with robusta accounting for 35,169 tonnes and arabica the remaining 2,958 tonnes. All of Cameroon's coffee output is currently exported for processing, mainly in Europe. ($1 = 497.201 CFA francs) (FA)
