Compagnie des bananes de Mondoni (CDBM), a subsidiary of France's Compagnie fruitière de Marseille, exported 5,944 tons of bananas from January to April 2025. Entering the banana market in June 2023, CDBM now ranks third among Cameroonian exporters, overtaking Boh Plantations PLC, a long-time market fixture.
Data from the Banana Association of Cameroon (Assobacam) indicates Boh Plantations PLC exported 3,947 tons within the same period, trailing CDBM by nearly 2,000 tons. The new Compagnie fruitière subsidiary secured its spot among the top three local producers by the first quarter of 2024, merely nine months post-launch.
CDBM's growth supports Compagnie fruitière de Marseille's existing influence over 70% to 80% of Cameroon's annual banana exports, flexing through its entities, Plantations du Haut Penja (PHP) and CDBM, alongside technical aid to others, including CDC and Boh Plantations PLC.
Compagnie fruitière benefits from Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the European Union (EU), with PHP noted as the "largest EPA beneficiary" for customs duties exemption at the 2023 "EPA Prize." PHP's savings hit CFAF 89 billion (US$ 147.3 million) from 2016-2021, reflecting 70% of overall Cameroonian corporate savings granted by the EPA.
Organizers noted, "The benefits of the agreement allow PHP to compete with Latin American competitors and to maintain thousands of jobs in Cameroon, and stable exports of around CFAF 23 billion (US$ 38.1 million) per year over the 2016–2022 period."
Bananas remain key to Cameroon's export revenue, particularly to Europe. The UK accounts for 13% of Cameroon's banana exports, generating close to 10 million euros. Despite Brexit, the UK retains its trade terms under the EPAs.
Source: Business in Cameroon