By Brian Mboh
Cameroon’s Ministry of Trade announced on December 2, 2025, a “renowned Indian company” specialising in food imports is seeking to purchase large quantities of dehydrated cassava produced in Cameroon for use in cattle and dairy feed.
According to Online media Stopblaba, Trade Minister Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana described the interest as “an excellent opportunity” that could help curb unemployment and generate valuable foreign exchange for the national economy. He encouraged women’s and youth groups to position themselves in what he called a “promising market.”
Although the statement did not name the firm, ministry sources cited Alba InfoSolutions LLP, a Limited Liability Partnership registered in 2018. The company, officially active in real estate, leasing, and business services, appears to be expanding into the trade of agricultural products.
The announcement comes as Cameroon promotes cassava as a substitute for imported wheat. The country buys between 800,000 and 1 million tons of wheat per year, at a cost of CFA178 billion in 2023, according to Business in Cameroon. These imports weigh on the trade balance and expose the economy to volatile global prices. Cassava, meanwhile, is widely grown across the country, and official studies show cassava flour is less expensive per ton than processed imported wheat.
The government is pushing for cassava flour to replace part of the wheat used in bakeries and the food industry to strengthen food security, reduce the import bill, and support local value chains. The cassava sector relies on numerous small-scale farmers, most of them rural women. Interest from foreign markets such as India could drive higher production, attract investment in processing, increase incomes for women producers, and support their economic autonomy while reshaping the value chain.
As the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is rolled out, processed cassava could become a competitive export for Cameroon. A structured supply of dehydrated cassava aimed at regional and extra-African markets would fit the country’s broader strategy to diversify agricultural exports. Several challenges remain: improving the quality of dehydrated cassava to meet international standards, expanding processing capacity, modernising rural infrastructure, and easing logistics bottlenecks. The government says it is addressing these gaps through new processing plants and technical support programmes for producers.
