Interprofessional Council of Cocoa and Coffee (Cicc) companies were in conclave in Douala to reflect on ways and means that can help to improve the sector's value added, on Thursday.

According to Elombat Chantal, director of Cicc Bureau, the upgrade is an opportunity to seize for member companies of Cicc that are anxious to modernize.

Operators, therefore, have shown the interest to become more competitive among themselves.

Just as Chantal Elombat continued, the upgrade would allow these players to increase their market share at the national, subregional and more. Hence, the appeal to cocoa farmers and growers to join the members of Cicc National Upgrading Programme (Pnman).

The stakes and context are known and will be remembered by Ms. Elombat: the forthcoming opening of markets, globalization of trade, culture of quality and good practice.

Other arguments in this regard will be developed by Luc Nyetam, an expert in the Office upgrade businesses. A concept developed, he recalled, by the UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development).

Participants will also learn the process, in which more than 300 local companies have already applied for membership, to prepare and adapt the company and its "in free trade requirements" environment.