Deal #3200

Announced in Aug 2011. In South-East Cameroon. 3,000ha signed off for nursery, not clear if remaining areas fully signed off or just under memorandum of understanding with the authorities. No Free Prior and Informed Consent for local Bagyeli indigenous people. Biopalm is subsidiary of Singapore-based Siva Group, which is owned by an Indian billionaire. Will be jointly developed with Cameroon’s National Investment Corporation. No reports that ground has yet been broken. Expect to produce 60,000 tpa by 2016. Kribi, Loukondje, Bipindi, Lolordof and Mvengue regions. The company is said to be seeking ‘at least’ 200,000 ha in Cameroon, not in one block, and has reportedly ‘already been accorded 50,000ha in Ocean Division, with authority to develop 10,000ha yearly’. One site Siva is trying to secure is UFA 00-003, a Forest Management Unit (logging concession, part of the ‘Permanent Forest Estate’) managed by MMG. Biopalm is also a joint venture partner in new oil palm plantations in Liberia, and targeting oil palm investments in DRC.