Cameroon has moved to prevent a fish shortage ahead of the holiday season by redistributing unused import quotas to high-performing operators. The decision was announced on November 4, 2026, in Yaoundé, following a strategic consultation chaired by Minister of Commerce Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana. This measure aims to ensure continuous market supply as the country approaches year-end celebrations.
The government convened key stakeholders in the fisheries sector, including sectoral administrations, local producers, and major importers, to address concerns raised in September by Congelcam. The meeting included Sylvestre Ngouchinghe, the CEO of Congelcam, alongside other industry leaders. The primary objective was to mitigate risks to household food security by securing adequate fish availability for consumers.
According to data from the Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries (MINEPIA), Cameroon faces a significant structural deficit in fish supply. The national demand is estimated at 500,000 tonnes annually, while local production in 2025 reached only 259,000 tonnes. To bridge this gap, an import volume of nearly 200,000 tonnes was allocated to 52 operators for 2026.
However, a substantial portion of these allocations remained unutilized. Eighteen of the 52 authorized operators had not imported any fish since the beginning of the year, while most others reported marginal performance. Only Congelcam, which holds 66% of the authorizations for 130,000 tonnes, and the company Akain Nicolas Luis were meeting their contractual obligations.
- Unused "dormant" quotas will be immediately reattributed to companies capable of delivering products.
- The Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS) has been engaged to accelerate control procedures at ports and resolve logistical bottlenecks.
- Restrictions on the importation of farmed fish, such as tilapia and carp, remain in effect to protect local producers.
Beyond immediate supply measures, the authorities reaffirmed their commitment to the Integrated Agro-pastoral and Fisheries Plan (PIISAH), which prioritizes import substitution. Minister Atangana urged local aquaculture farmers to adopt a more aggressive commercial strategy to "mark their territory," promising the deployment of promotional sales points. Congelcam has been asked to provide official communication to reassure consumers that fish will be available in sufficient quantities at regulated prices for the upcoming festivities.
<small>Source: 237actu — read the original story there.</small>
