Cameroon’s cocoa exports rose over 31 percent to 28,286 tonnes in September since the start of the cocoa season in August, up from 21,516 tonnes during the same period last season, National Cocoa and Coffee Board (NCCB) data showed on Thursday.

September shipments from Africa’s fourth biggest producer totalled 16,230 tonnes, an increase of nearly 35 percent from 12,056 tonnes in August and up over 9 percent from 14,849 tonnes in the same month a year ago.

Telecar Cocoa Ltd was September’s top exporter shipping 6,521 tonnes of beans, followed by Camaco with 1,956 tonnes and Olam-Cam with 1,890 tonnes.

Cameroon’s cocoa season runs from Aug. 1 to July 1. The main harvest is from October to January/February, followed by a light crop harvest period from April/May to June/July.

The Central African country’s cocoa output hit 232,530 tonnes last season, not far off a record 2010/11 harvest of 240,000 tonnes.

Cameroon’s government is trying to encourage young people and women to grow the crop and to prevent illegal exports to neighbouring countries, in the hope of raising cocoa output to 600,000 tonnes by 2020.