Coffee from Cameroon

Cameroon - a beautiful country in the center of Africa, got its name from Rios dos Camarões, which in translation means River of Prawns. This name was given by the Portuguese explorers of the 15th and 16th centuries who came upon the land. Coffee production here is highly important for the local economy, so much so that in the year 2020, the country was in 25th place in the top of coffee-producing countries. 

A short history lesson

Coffee plantations and harvesting date back to the year 1884 in Cameroon. At this time, the country was taken over by German colonists. Year by year, the coffee production grew and extended all over the country, in 1990 reaching a record of 156.000 tons, meant for export. At the time, it was ranked 12th in the world ranking, because of this achievement. Sadly, at one point the production started to decline, mostly because of the government policies and the global economic crisis. In this case, the government asked for help from Brazilian experts, and also invested serious sums of money for a relief package. 

The areas of Cameroon where coffee is grown are, basically, everywhere: west, northwest, littoral, southwest, south, central and eastern. Of course, these lands differentiate in quality, as higher altitudes produce more complex and intense flavors, compared to lowlands. 

What about the coffee?

In the high plateaus, we just mentioned, like the Bamileke and Bamaoun areas, the crop which is mostly grown is Arabica, and it has its season from the 1st of October until the 30th of September. This is because of the cool climate, heavy rainfall, and volcanic soil which is full of nutrients. When we talk about Arabica, we can distinguish two types: Jamaica (Typica) and Java. Java has been recently introduced in Cameroon and is famous for its high resistance against coffee berry disease, which definitely has a great impact on production. Berry disease is a fungus that causes the coffee cherries to fall off the branches prematurely, thus making them unable to be processed. Speaking of, Arabica coffee undergoes wet-processing. This means that after the cherries are picked, they are immersed underwater and sorted. How? Well, the bad or unripe ones will float to the surface, while the good ones will sink. A nice and easy process, which works perfectly for big quantities of coffee cherries. 

Let's talk about Robusta too, simply because it is the predominant type of coffee grown in Cameroon. It is also the main type that goes to export, in countries like Portugal, Belgium, and France. It grows in the Western region, at medium altitudes and its season is between the 1st of December and the 30th of November. The taste is rich, full, and nutty, and perfect for all kinds of blends. 

Above all of this, Cameroon has a secret weapon up its sleeve: Boyo, their local coffee, grown in the Boyo department of the Northwest Province. It grows in dark, nutrient-rich, volcanic soil, at elevations of 5.000 feet. Another thing that contributes to the excellent taste and quality of the beans is the brilliant sunshine, which allows them to gather up the sugar it needs. Not to mention that the crop is also highly resistant to different infections, therefore it doesn't need too many pesticides or herbicides. All the processes that are needed are being taken care of by the local farmers: hulling, polishing, and grading. Also, they are the ones making sure that only the best beans end up being exported. They are the ones we need to thank for the greatness that is Boyo coffee: balanced, full, and earthy, with chocolate, caramel, toffee, and stone fruit flavors. 

The Belo Micro Washing Station

You may be wondering what this means. Well, let's take it to step by step. First off, Belo is a town in Boyo, where coffee comes to be washed and sorted after it has been harvested. For this to happen, a micro washing station began to be built, by local materials and power, in 2013, by the Cameroon Boyo team. This way, local farmers are able to bring their coffee cherries, process them, then eventually sell them to other locals. 

Even so, they are mostly encouraged to cooperate with the team, as they will become more professional and be able to set a price for their cherries, which can be analyzed together with the price paid by the roasters. This way, it can become easier for them to develop their business. 

The trade market

Everything that involves coffee marketing in Cameroon is controlled by the National Coffee and Cocoa Board, a government institution that is supervised by the Ministry of Trade. In the 1990s, the market met a sharp decline, but hope was still on the radar and in 2014 Cameroon ended up trading 32.808 tons of its production. A phenomenal rise, which is still happening to this day!

When you consider how much work and dedication is put into this coffee, it is too hard not to consider getting your hands on it. Not only does Cameroon coffee tell an incredible story, but it also delivers an exceptional taste, which will definitely not be similar to anything you have ever tried before. Therefore, we kindly invite you to visit websites like Cafendo or BeanBear, if you want a taste of paradise, and for a great price too!