Many factors put CDC's new product, Makossa Banana, in good stead to break into the competitive international banana market.

The Cameroon Development Corporation, CDC, last year launched a new product, branded Makossa Banana, as part of its project expansion. Given the current stiff competition in the international banana trade, does Makossa Banana stand any chance of breaking into the very competitive European market?

A few reasons point to the fact that Makossa Banana could well be on its way to becoming a commercial success - despite all odds. The company has embarked on an aggressive marketing strategy by employing the services of the very experienced Union des Groupements de Producteurs de Bananes de Guadeloupe et Martinique, UGPBAN; the cooperative that markets banana from French West Indies.

"The banana will reach the market with CDC label. If you are buying it in France or Germany, it will read 'CDC Banana'. Passengers shall have to be served with bananas even in airplanes leaving Cameroon. We are going to put in place an aggressive marketing team to make sure our bananas are sold," CDC General Manager, Henry Njalla Quan had promised after its launch in France last year. CDC would also have to start thinking of looking for alternative potential markets outside of Europe; say, Africa and Asia.

As a boost to the product's distribution, the name immediately rings something in the heads of those who hear it - being the name of the tested Makossa music whose renown is already established in Europe. Curiosity, could therefore, serve as a great boost to its sale.

On the other hand, long-term planning is likely to work in its favour. CDC is expanding its plantations by 1,750 hectares over a period of three years; thereby ensuring that the trees do not begin to experience dwindling output soon after planting without any replacement plans. In addition to the expanded plantations, 13 banana production facilities will be constructed to handle the new expansion. Tenders for the facilities were already launched last year.

The current financial standing of the corporation is most important to the survival of the project and product. In an interview last year, the General Manager disclosed that the expansion project was being funded entirely from the corporation's budget. He added that all the company's debts had been cleared in preparation for imminent privatisation.

Nutrition experts claim that the popularity of banana makes it the fourth most important food crop of any sort in the world. A recent UN Food and Agricultural Organisation, FAO, report warns that most wild banana species are fast becoming extinct as Indian forests are destroyed while traditional farmers' varieties are also disappearing - thus, leaving possible room for brands like Makossa Banana to flourish.