 BRIEF INTRODUCTION |
The cultivation of cotton in Cameroon was launched in 1951 by the C.F.D.T, which gave way to SODECOTON, a wide-ranging corporation owned by the Cameroon Government and C.F.D.T.
| AN INTEGRATED ENTERPRISE |
From the onset, the principle has been to develop an integrated network based on the co-operation between the rural population and the agro-industrial operator. The working method of this partnership can be described in the following manner:
The farmers (or producers) receive technical assistance from an integrated service which provides them with the needed production materials
In exchange for this service, they deliver their production of cotton grain to the operator who then transforms them in shelling factories or oil mills.
The simplicity of the principle belies the complexity of its application.
SODECOTON has progressively become a very influential regional corporation.
There are close to 300 000 cotton producers located in more than one thousand villages in the North and Far North provinces. They own small farms covering an average area of about 2 acres and have little means of production and no financial resources.
SODECOTON therefore had to establish an organisation, which would provide each village with its requirements and then work with the producers as a whole.
SODECOTON’s integrated service employs several hundred agents at various levels, who are responsible for the distribution of constituents, the diffusion of technical expertise, the follow-up of agricultural campaigns and the commercialisation of cotton seed.
Special services have been created in the following areas:
Experimentation (related to agronomic research)
Livestock farming (to promote non-mechanised farming)
Motorization (for the development of mechanised farming)
Agricultural credit
Training of farmers.
| AN ENTERPRISE FOCUSED ON THE POPULATION |
The relationship between the rural population and SODECOTON has evolved over the past few years with the creation of village associations, which have taken over certain activities formerly carried out by SODECOTON. This can be seen mainly in the commercialisation of cotton seed and the management of constituents.
These associations are managed autonomously and SODECOTON works with their Directors and not with the farmers directly.
Aside from its factories, SODECOTON owns and runs several industrial installations such as garages, work shops, fuel depots and numerous warehouses, as well as an impressive fleet of trucks that ensure the effective transportation of cotton seed, constituents, materials and grain fibre in the entire cotton growing zone.
| A WELL ADAPTED COMMERCIAL POLICY |
Lastly, SODECOTON ensures the commercialisation of its diverse products, that is: fibre in the home market or for exportation; oil in the home market; oil cake in the home market or for exportation.
| It is imperative that SODECOTON handles its own commercialisation because that allows it to directly procure what it needs in order to function well and be more productive.
As concerns fibre, SODECOTON works partly with the Cotton Producing Corporation and partly with trade houses.
Cameroonian cotton is therefore sold the world over, especially in the Far East.
Gross tonnage for exportation: approximately 93% of total production in 98-99.
 SHAREHOLDING
| LIST OF PRODUCTS |
Cotton fibre
Diamaor oil
Oil cake
| EQUIPMENTS |
10 shelling factories ( Kaélé, Maroua 1 & 2, Garoua 2 & 3, Mayo-Galké, Touboro, Tchatibali, Guider, Ngong)
2 Seed oil factories (Maroua and Garoua)
| OUTLETS |
- Cameroon: 7 to 10%
- Exportation: 90 to 93%
| SHARE CAPITAL |
- Capital: 4 529 400 000 francs CFA (Equivalent to 452 940 shares of 10 000 francs CFA)
| MISSION |
Promoting cotton production
Commercialising cotton and its by-products (oil, oil cake)
Developing cotton growing zones
Modernising agriculture.
| CONTACTS |
SODECOTON YAOUNDE
Po Box 304
Yaounde-Cameroon
Tel/ Fax (237) 20 19 72
SODECOTON DOUALA
Po Box 1699
Douala-Cameroon
Tel/ Fax (237) 42 46 03
CORRESPONDENT C.F.D.T
13 Rue de Monceau
75008 Paris- France
Tel (0033) 1 43 59 53 95
Fax (0033) 1 43 59 50 13 |
