By Synthia Lateu
The rising price of crayfish is placing growing pressure on traders, restaurant owners, and households across Douala, as consumers struggle to cope with the soaring cost of one of Cameroon’s most widely-used cooking ingredients.
Across several markets in the city, portions that previously sold for 100 FCFA or 500 FCFA now cost nearly double – with traders charging around 200 FCFA and 1,000 FCFA for similar quantities.
Vendors say the increase has been driven by rising transport expenses, customs duties, and supply challenges including limited stocks.The price of a 20-kilogram bag of shrimp has reportedly jumped from about 120,000 CFA Francs to as much as 270,000 CFA Francs in recent months.
“We are selling and crying,” says Mariane Yami, a trader at the Deido Market, , describing the difficult conditions facing retailers.
Another vendor, Juliana, says traders initially expected the situation to improve, but prices have continued to climb instead.
“We thought prices would eventually fall, but they kept increasing. Not long ago, we expected the price to return to around 200,000 FCFA, but now it has reached 270,000 FCFA,” she explains.
The effects are also being felt by restaurant owners who depend heavily on shrimp for traditional dishes. Vannessa Ngankam, a restaurateur in Douala, says the ingredient has become increasingly expensive but remains unavoidable in her business.
She explains that she now spends between 25,000 and 30,000 CFA francs weekly on quantities that previously cost her around 10,000 CFA francs.
“Shrimp is very important in my kitchen. For dishes like eru and ndolé , it is necessary,” she says.
At Deido Market, retailers say shrinking profit margins are making business difficult, as many customers can no longer afford to buy in large quantities.
In households, the situation is also forcing families to adjust their consumption habits. Lovette, a housewife in Douala, says even small portions have become difficult to afford.
“We used to buy enough for 500 FCFA, but now it is difficult. In some places, they do not even sell for less than 1,000 FCFA,” she says. “I still buy crayfish because it is a necessity. Today I am preparing at home, and the taste has no substitute.”
As prices continue to rise, consumers are increasingly turning to cheaper alternatives such as chaff shrimp, a product previously overlooked by many buyers.
Traders say sales volumes have dropped significantly in recent weeks, with fewer customers able to afford the product. Some retailers have reportedly left the business altogether, while others say they are struggling to stay afloat.
Wholesalers add that much of the shrimp currently sold in local markets is imported from neighbouring Nigeria, which they say may also be contributing to the high cost of supply.
For now, both traders and consumers can only hope for a reduction in prices as the market continues to adjust to the rising cost of shrimp
