REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON Paix–Travail–Patrie
MINISTERE DE L'AGRICULTURE ET DU DEVELOPPEMENT RURAL
SECRETARIAT GENERAL
DIRECTION DES ENQUETES ET DES STATISTIQUES AGRICOLES
Minader Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON Peace–Work–Fatherland
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
SECRETARIAT GENERAL
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL SURVEYS AND STATISTICS
# Quarterly monitoring newsletter on agricultural inputs: fertilizers and plant protection products
N° 0 October-December 2022
Published by the Department of Agricultural Surveys and Statistics (DESA) with the financial support of the Cocoa and Coffee Sub-Sector Development Fund (FODECC)
!img-0.jpeg
Domestic supply of nitrogen fertilizers has dropped by 38% and potassium fertilizers by 86% over the year, while imports of complex fertilizers have risen slightly (+18%). Against this backdrop, a drop in fertilizer supplies between the third and fourth quarters of 2022 was observed in all markets, and major urea supply failures were noted. Nevertheless, retail prices remained stable in most markets at the end of 2022. Supply constraints for the first quarter of 2023 mainly concern ammonium sulphate.
With the volume of herbicide and insecticide imports falling sharply in 2022 compared to 2021, there are supply risks on all the markets surveyed, except for liquid insecticide on Buea, Mamfe and Muyuka markets. Only herbicide prices rose between the third and fourth quarters of 2022, particularly on Yaounde 1 and Manga markets, where they increased by more than 20%. Low volumes of insecticide forecast for early 2023 come at a time of high consumption. Supplies will therefore need to be monitored during the 1st quarter of 2023.
# FERTILIZERS
Despite lower world prices at the end of 2022, fertilizers are still more expensive than in 2021
The year 2022 was marked, on the one hand, by the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, which led to sanctions on the Russian and Belarusian economies, and on the other by the export restrictions imposed by China. In addition, the recovery of the Chinese economy in 2022 after the main phase of Covid-19 has triggered an increase in demand for raw materials and agricultural inputs.
According to World Bank statistics, after soaring at the start of 2022, fertiliser prices have fallen over the end of the year, but historically remain at high levels. Drop in prices can be explained in part by low demand, as European and American farmers, the main consumers of fertilisers, cut back on fertiliser use due to lack of sufficient and affordable access to these inputs. On the supply side, there have also been disruptions from Russia (Cameroon's main fertiliser supplier) and Belarus.
The price of a ton of urea reached its peak in the fourth quarter of 2021, up to USD 828.5 per ton. In 2022, urea prices began to fall back to USD 581.5/t.
Before stabilizing at USD 562.5 per ton, potassium chloride (MOP) prices rose by 200% in the first two quarters of 2022.
As fertilizers are purchased on a forward basis, the impact of this drop on Cameroon's economy may not be noticeable until the second quarter of 2023.