Cameroon opens emergency tenders to secure banana inputs

CAMEROON – Cameroon’s Development Corporation has launched a new round of emergency tenders as it moves to secure inputs and equipment for its banana operations, a key export crop for the country.

The state owned agribusiness said the process forms part of a wider investment cycle meant to restart and protect agricultural activity, with bananas taking priority.

Franklin Njie, general manager of the Development Corporation of Cameroon, announced two national open tenders under what the company described as “an emergency procedure” to ensure supply continuity.

The combined budget for the two tenders stands above CFA2.45 billion, equal to about US$4.1 million. The funds focus on inputs linked directly to production volumes and export flow at a time when the company faces tight timelines.

For the banana department, the tender breaks into 34 lots that cover supply, transport, and handling of inputs for the field and for post harvest operations. Tender documents show an estimated budget of CFA2.37 billion, or roughly US$4.0 million, for this segment alone.

Field inputs take the largest share

The procurement list spans planting materials, fertilizers, crop protection products, and packing equipment. The company plans to spend close to CFA102 million, around US$170,000, on banana plantlets.

It also seeks to buy more than 1.9 million bunch protection bags, both treated and untreated, which growers use to manage quality and meet dessert banana standards.

Fertilizers account for a large share of the planned spend. The program includes slow release urea valued at CFA145.4 million, or about US$242,000, and NPK fertilizers estimated at CFA341.8 million, equal to around US$570,000.

Chemical inputs and fertilizers together reflect what the company calls “the input intensity of banana cultivation” and continued pressure from pests and disease.

Post harvest and export chain included

Beyond the field, the tenders also cover materials used after harvest and during export handling. These include Banavac polybags, mini pads known as diapiters, adhesives, tapes, and plastic trays. CDC uses these items in packing stations and logistics hubs to keep fruit moving to export markets.

The company said the tenders aim to “stabilize production systems and align field operations, input supply, and export logistics” within a limited timeframe.

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