Can you sell backyard eggs in Cameroon?
Cameroon's 2018 food-safety framework law says every operator producing or selling food must first be registered by the competent authority. No small-seller exemption or egg grading, label or storage rule was found.
Read from 2 official sources18 passages quotedChecked October 29, 2026
At a glance
Licence
Registration
Small-flock line
No small-seller exemption found in the national texts read
Farmers markets
Not stated
Cartons
Not stated
In plain English
Law 2018/020 says every economic operator in Cameroon working in the production, storage, processing, transport, packaging, distribution or sale of foodstuffs must first be registered by the competent authority (Art. 21(1)); 'production' includes rearing farm animals (Art. 4). Foodstuffs produced in Cameroon are also subject to an authorisation to place them on the market for consumption (Arts 28, 29). The law does not name the competent authority, and its implementing texts were not found. Law 2000/017, as reproduced in the livestock ministry's 2013 compilation, says no foodstuff of animal origin may be delivered for consumption without prior veterinary health inspection (Art. 4). No small-seller or household exemption was found in the texts read.
A sourced reading of the rules in Cameroon, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with Ministère de l'Elevage, des Pêches et des Industries Animales (MINEPIA) before you sell.
Do you need a licence?
- Be registered by the competent authority before producing or selling foodstuffs; registration is granted if the operator complies with the national and international legislation in force for its activity.Law 2018/020 Art. 21
- Foodstuffs produced in Cameroon are subject to an authorisation to place them on the market for consumption, issued by the competent authority (Arts 28(1), 29).
- Foodstuffs of animal origin must undergo veterinary health inspection before being delivered for consumption.Law 2000/017 Art. 4, as reproduced in the 2013 compilation
The exact wording
Where you can sell
From home or the farm
No rule on selling eggs from home was found in the national texts read. Law 2018/020's registration duty (Art. 21) is written for every operator who produces or sells foodstuffs, and Law 2000/017 (Art. 4, as reproduced in the 2013 compilation) requires veterinary inspection of foods of animal origin; how either applies to a household selling eggs was not found.
Farmers markets
No market rule for egg sellers was found in the national texts read. Local market rules were not surveyed.
Stores and restaurants
No rule on shops or restaurants buying eggs from small sellers was found in the national texts read.
Also check with: MINEPIA veterinary services (veterinary health inspection of foods of animal origin)
Cartons, labels and handling
Cartons
The sources we read don't set a carton rule.
Refrigeration
No storage temperature for eggs was found in the national texts read. Law 2018/020 requires operators, food businesses and their staff to follow the hygiene rules made under it, in the light of Codex standards (Art. 24(1)).
The label must show
Not established for eggs: Law 2018/020 says every pre-packaged foodstuff must carry a label that complies with the legislation in force (Art. 26); that labelling legislation was not read.
Grading
Not stated in the sources we read.
Washing
Not stated in the sources we read.
Pricing your dozen? The egg price calculator works it out from your feed bill.
Common questions
- Can I sell eggs from my backyard chickens in Cameroon, and do I need a licence?
- Cameroon's 2018 food-safety framework law says every operator producing or selling food must first be registered by the competent authority. No small-seller exemption or egg grading, label or storage rule was found. Small-flock line: no small-seller exemption found in the national texts read. The conditions, and the law they come from, are on this page.
- Can I sell eggs at a farmers market in Cameroon?
- Not stated in the sources we read. No market rule for egg sellers was found in the national texts read. Local market rules were not surveyed. Also check with MINEPIA veterinary services (veterinary health inspection of foods of animal origin).
- Can I reuse egg cartons in Cameroon?
- The sources we read do not say; ask Ministère de l'Elevage, des Pêches et des Industries Animales (MINEPIA) before reusing cartons for eggs you sell.
- What has to be on the carton label in Cameroon?
- In short: Not established for eggs: Law 2018/020 says every pre-packaged foodstuff must carry a label that complies with the legislation in force (Art. 26); that labelling legislation was not read.
- Do eggs I sell in Cameroon have to be kept cold?
- In short: No storage temperature for eggs was found in the national texts read. Law 2018/020 requires operators, food businesses and their staff to follow the hygiene rules made under it, in the light of Codex standards (Art. 24(1)).
- Loi n° 2018/020, Arts 2, 4, 21, 24, 26, 28, 29, 37, 39 (as promulgated in 2018; later amendments not checked) · Loi n° 2018/020 du 11 décembre 2018 portant loi-cadre sur la sécurité sanitaire des aliments
- Loi n° 2000/017, Art. 4 (as reproduced in the livestock ministry's 2013 compilation; later amendments not checked) · Loi n° 2000/017 du 19 décembre 2000 portant réglementation de l'inspection sanitaire vétérinaire
- Loi n° 006 du 16 avril 2001, Arts 3, 4, 5, 7, 72 (as reproduced in the livestock ministry's 2013 compilation; later amendments not checked) · Loi n° 006 du 16 avril 2001 portant nomenclature et règlement zoo-sanitaire des maladies du bétail réputées légalement contagieuses à déclaration obligatoire
- Loi n° 2016/007, Art. 268 (as promulgated in 2016; later amendments not checked) · Loi n° 2016/007 du 12 juillet 2016 portant Code pénal
- Décret n° 75/527, Arts 1, 7, 8 (as reproduced in the 2013 compilation) · Décret n° 75/527 du 16 juillet 1975 portant réglementation des établissements d'exploitation en matière d'élevage et des industries animales
- Décret n° 76/420, Arts 2, 3 (as reproduced in the 2013 compilation) · Décret n° 76/420 du 14 septembre 1976 portant réglementation de l'élevage, de la circulation et de l'exploitation du bétail
- Arrêté conjoint n° 0006 MINEPIA/MINSANTE du 15 mars 2006, Art. 1 (as reproduced in the 2013 compilation) · Arrêté conjoint ajoutant la grippe aviaire à la nomenclature des maladies du bétail réputées légalement contagieuses et à déclaration obligatoire
- Arrêté n° 0013/MINEPIA du 20 juillet 2010, Art. 7 (as reproduced in the 2013 compilation) · Arrêté n° 0013/MINEPIA du 20 juillet 2010 fixant la nomenclature des opérations de prophylaxie collective, de police sanitaire et d'inspection sanitaire vétérinaire des denrées alimentaires d'origine animale et halieutique dans le cadre du mandat sanitaire vétérinaire
- Ministère de l'Elevage, des Pêches et des Industries Animales (MINEPIA) · Veterinary health inspection of foods of animal origin
Read the 18 passages this page is built on
“LOI N° 2018/020 DU 11 DEC 2018 PORTANT LOI-CADRE SUR LA SECURITE SANITAIRE DES ALIMENTS”
Loi n° 2018/020, Arts 2, 4, 21, 24, 26, 28, 29, 37, 39 (as promulgated in 2018; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-29
“Les dispositions de cette loi s’appliquent aux activités de production, de fabrication, de préparation, de manipulation, d’emballage, de stockage, de transport, de conditionnement, de conservation, d’importation, d’exportation, de distribution, de vente d’aliments, ou de toute autre activité y relative.”
Loi n° 2018/020, Arts 2, 4, 21, 24, 26, 28, 29, 37, 39 (as promulgated in 2018; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-29
“Opérateur économique: toute personne physique ou morale exerçant une activité de production, de fabrication, de préparation, de manipulation, de traitement, d’emballage, de transport, de conditionnement, de conservation, d’importation, d’exportation, de distribution, de vente d’aliments, ou de toute autre activité connexe ;”
Loi n° 2018/020, Arts 2, 4, 21, 24, 26, 28, 29, 37, 39 (as promulgated in 2018; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-29
“Production : culture, récolte, capture, traitement ou transformation des aliments, y compris l’obtention, le traitement et l’élevage des animaux de ferme avant l’abattage, jusqu’à la mise en consommation ;”
Loi n° 2018/020, Arts 2, 4, 21, 24, 26, 28, 29, 37, 39 (as promulgated in 2018; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-29
“Tout opérateur économique exerçant au Cameroun dans le domaine de la production, de la conservation, de la transformation, du transport, de l’emballage, du conditionnement, de l’importation, de l’exportation, de la distribution et de la vente des denrées alimentaires doit au préalable, être enregistré par l’autorité compétente.”
Loi n° 2018/020, Arts 2, 4, 21, 24, 26, 28, 29, 37, 39 (as promulgated in 2018; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-29
“L’autorité compétente procède à l’enregistrement, si l’opérateur économique respecte la législation nationale et internationale en vigueur dans son domaine d’activité.”
Loi n° 2018/020, Arts 2, 4, 21, 24, 26, 28, 29, 37, 39 (as promulgated in 2018; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-29
“Les opérateurs économiques, ainsi que les entreprises alimentaires et leur personnel doivent respecter toutes les règles d’hygiène prévues pour l’application de la présente loi, à la lumière des normes du Codex Alimentarius ou de toute autre directive des organisations internationales impliquées dans la sécurité sanitaire des aliments.”
Loi n° 2018/020, Arts 2, 4, 21, 24, 26, 28, 29, 37, 39 (as promulgated in 2018; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-29
“Toute denrée alimentaire préemballée doit porter une étiquette conforme à la législation en vigueur.”
Loi n° 2018/020, Arts 2, 4, 21, 24, 26, 28, 29, 37, 39 (as promulgated in 2018; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-29
“L’Autorisation de Mise en Consommation (AMC) est délivrée par l’autorité compétente.”
Loi n° 2018/020, Arts 2, 4, 21, 24, 26, 28, 29, 37, 39 (as promulgated in 2018; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-29
“Sont soumis à l’AMC : - les denrées alimentaires produites au niveau national ;”
Loi n° 2018/020, Arts 2, 4, 21, 24, 26, 28, 29, 37, 39 (as promulgated in 2018; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-29
“Des textes d’application complètent, en tant que de besoin, les dispositions de la présente loi.”
Loi n° 2018/020, Arts 2, 4, 21, 24, 26, 28, 29, 37, 39 (as promulgated in 2018; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-29
“La présente loi sera enregistrée, publiée suivant la procédure d’urgence, puis insérée au Journal Officiel en français et en anglais./-”
Loi n° 2018/020, Arts 2, 4, 21, 24, 26, 28, 29, 37, 39 (as promulgated in 2018; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-29
“Voici la troisième édition du Recueil des textes régissant l’élevage, les pêches et les industries animales.”
minepia.cm · read 2026-10-29
“Décision N° 00154 /MINEPIA du 08 mai 2013”
minepia.cm · read 2026-10-29
“Loi n°2000/017 du 19 décembre 2000 portant réglementation de l’ Inspection Sanitaire Vétérinaire.”
minepia.cm · read 2026-10-29
“Article 4.- Aucune denrée d’origine animale ou halieutique ne peut être livrée à la consommation si elle n’a pas subi auparavant une inspection sanitaire vétérinaire.”
minepia.cm · read 2026-10-29
“Arrêté N°0013/MINEPIA du 20 juillet 2010”
minepia.cm · read 2026-10-29
“l’inspection sanitaire vétérinaire des gibiers, œufs et ovo produits ;”
minepia.cm · read 2026-10-29
What we couldn't confirm
- Law 2018/020 does not name the competent authority for registration and market authorisation; the texts organising the food-safety system under it were not found.
- No egg-specific grading, carton, label or storage-temperature rule was found in Law 2018/020 or in the livestock ministry's 2013 compilation of texts.
- Law 2000/017, the law of 16 April 2001, Decrees 75/527 and 76/420 and the ministry orders cited were read as reproduced in the livestock ministry's compilation, whose latest text dates from 8 May 2013; later amendments were not checked.
- Law 2018/020 and the Penal Code (Law 2016/007) were read in the Presidency's certified copies as promulgated; later amendments were not checked.
- Current bird-flu measures are not asserted here, and no official status page was identified in the sources read.
- Council rules on keeping poultry were not surveyed.
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