Tea Culture in Cameroon

Cameroon consumes 0.3 lb of tea per capita per year.

The most consumed tea in Cameroon is Black tea which is also produced in the country.

Cameroonians also produce herbal/fruit teas and Green tea.

History of Tea in Cameroon

The first tea bushes in Cameroon were planted in 1914 by German cultivators.

The fertile volcanic soil of Tole on Mount Cameroon was and still is the perfect ground for tea cultivation at 2,000 ft above sea level.

While tea production in Cameroon went through some setbacks from 1948 to 1958, the industry reemerged even stronger in 1968 when almost 800 acres were planted with tea bushes.

Today, the country has 3,890 acres of tea plantations, producing around 5,000 tonnes of tea per year.

Tea Culture in Cameroon

Chai is the most popular tea in Cameroon, made from Black tea boiled in water/milk mix and ground cardamom and sugar.

Tea culture in Cameroon consists of meeting with friends and relatives and relaxing alongside a cup of tea.

Depending on the region, in some parts, Cameroonians prefer iced tea over milky chai.

Folere is a traditional tea made from dried Hibiscus boiled with chunks of fresh pineapple and sugar.

Some people also add lemon juice to the Folere recipe.

Buzzing street sellers of Folere station their carts on busy streets and markets, inviting people to buy their delicious iced tea.

The Hibiscus tea is boiled, cooled, and poured into plastic bottles that are then laid over ice. Returning the plastic bottle after finishing the tea is a common thing.

While Cameroon’s tea export was focused on European countries in the past, today its target markets are Sudan and Chad, while a large amount of the local production ends up on the national market.