Cameroon blocks cereals exports to Nigeria after decrease in food production

As food security measures after a production drop, the Cameroon government has blocked cereals exports, including millet and corn, to Nigeria, according to a news report by Cameroon.org.

Authorities have blamed the decrease in food production on its northern border on the threat from Boko Haram terrorists.

Damian Kinkoh of the food control unit of Cameroon’s Trade Ministry says about 6,000 metric tons of corn, millet, and rice have been intercepted while being transported to Nigeria.

Kinkoh has said that the ministry will return the cereals when the owners commit to only sell the corn, rice, and millet in Cameroon.

"We see these goods, we seize them and bring them here. It has been fruitful. We have about 2,000 bags of rice,” said Kinkoh. “We are in Maroua and then in Ngaoundere. So, you go to our warehouses, our warehouses are full."

The cereals were intercepted in several northern border towns and villages including Maroua, Mora, Kolofata, and Limani this week.

Yakoubou Ousmaina, president of the Association of Millet farmers in Mora says they prefer to only sell in Nigeria.

Ousmaina said that members of his association will not make any profit if they sell their millet in Cameroon. He says villagers who provided labor in millet farms escaped and his association invested much money to bring workers from safer northern towns and villages to work in their farms.

He said Boko Haram scared fertilizer sellers, and the few who have remained in northern Cameroon charge very high prices for fertilizer.