Cameroon: sugar cane farmers in need of bailout

Sugar cane is a sub-tropical and tropical crop that prefers lots of sun, and water - provided that its roots are not waterlogged. Sugarcane was originally from tropical South Asia and Southeast Asia.

By Yemti Harry Ndienla

However, different species likely originated in different locations with S. barberi originating in India and S. edule and S. officinarum coming from New Guinea. The thick stalk stores energy as sucrose in the sap. The crop is produced in about 195 countries world wide to produce 1,324.6 million tons (more than six times the amount of sugar beet produced). Uses of sugar cane include but not limited to the production of sugar, Falernum, molasses, rum, soda, cachaca (the national spirit of Brazil) and ethanol for fuel. Sugar cane typically takes about 12 months to reach maturity although the time varies widely around the world from as short as six months in Louisiana to 24 months in some places. Where it differs from many crops is that it re-grows from the roots so the plant lasts many cycles [or 'ratoons', a word derived from the Spanish to sprout] before it is worn out.

The crop is highly cultivated in Cameroon, and precisely – Buea, (at Muea and Mile 17 area where there is abundant running water and fertile soil). It is also cultivated at Banjonk, where there is a sugar factory in financial quark mire. Though there are several foods and popular dishes derived from sugar cane in most countries where it is cultivated, Cameroonians, particularly those travailing along Mutegene - Muea highway prefer eating them raw. Though the sale of sugar cane is making brisk business here, stakeholders are going through difficult time.

The sugar cane sellers, most of them teenage boys who approach aggressively any vehicle that stops along the highway, holding well washed and bundled short stems of soft sweet sugar canes do not only shout to the embarrassment of every first visitor ‘fine sugar cane’ but does the marketing so aggressively that most passengers do not hesitate to buy a buddle or two for 100 CFA frs each. From their sales the young men get a commission and the rest is handed to the real ‘patrons’ who does the cutting and parceling.

The sugar cane traders aren’t comfortable with recent hikes in prices of food which has also affected their business. Thus a bundle of healthy sugar canes which usual sold for 1000 francs now cost 1200 FRS and above. “It could be better if you have your own farms because the main farmers sell to us at very high prices,” says Ofon Julius 21, who has been in the trade for 5 years.

Behind the Mile 17 motor Park, where most of the dealers sit all day long cutting and parceling the sugar cane for their boys to sell, a good number of them said the business is profitable apart from the bad moments when they can’t make ends meet. Although they believe they can open their own farms and employ more people, some expressed regret that the business sometimes barely affords their rents. They also expressed dissatisfaction at a new site provided by the Buea council in a bid to get them more organized. To the dealers the site located behind the park is nasty and uncomfortable. “We prefer our former position which gave us a clear view from the road rather than this swampy and dirty area” says Ambe Jonathan, alias “Titanick”
Emmanuel Ndip, a sixteen year old school dropout says he joined the trade after the death of his single parent about three years ago. He presently works for one of the sugar cane dealers who prepares and gives him to sell. “Though I can sell up to 3000 CFA frs or more a days, I’m unable to do anything because times are hard,” says Ndip, who wished he could find somebody “to pay my school fees as parents do to other children”.
On the other hand, Sugar cane farmers too have their worries. Apart from hoping that a sugar company be based here to rescue them and offer tangible prices equivalent to the high cost of living today, some farmers expressed the wish to extend their farms if they have the means.