Cameroon Cotton Lint exported to your specification
BV Holdings Agro supplies Cameroon cotton lint, raw and not carded, for spinning mills and cotton merchants. Lots come from the northern cotton belt in pressed bales with HVI data.
BV Holdings Agro exports Cameroon cotton lint to spinning mills and cotton traders. The lint is raw, saw-ginned and not carded or combed. It comes from the North, Far North and Adamawa regions, the heart of the country’s cotton belt, and loads at Douala or Kribi.
Most Cameroon cotton is picked by hand. As a result, lots tend to carry less trash than machine-picked cotton, which helps grade and yarn quality. Mills that spin medium-staple counts often value this clean, bright fibre.
We serve mills and merchants, not retail buyers. Therefore, every offer of Cameroon cotton lint is for container loads, with HVI data, a clear price basis and a fixed shipment window. We also tell you plainly which lots are ginned and ready, and which depend on the new crop.
This page covers where the cotton grows, typical HVI specs, grades and how we test each lot. It also explains bales and container loads, export papers, pricing and how to order. For other raw materials, see our industrial products.
Where Cameroon cotton lint is grown
Cotton needs heat, sunshine and a clear dry season for harvest. Northern Cameroon offers all three. The main zones lie in the North region around the Bénoué basin, in the Far North, and in parts of Adamawa. Here, cotton is a key cash crop for many thousands of family farms.
The crop is rain-fed. Farmers sow at the start of the rains, usually around May and June. Then the plants grow through the wet season and open their bolls as the rains end. Picking runs from about October to January, while ginning and baling continue for several months after. Most export lots therefore become available from late in the year into the following spring.
The cotton chain in the north is well organised. Seed and inputs reach farmers through an established system, and seed cotton is collected for ginning in regional ginneries. As a result, lint is classed and baled in a consistent way. Our Cameroon harvest calendar shows how cotton fits with other crops.
From field to bale
Pickers pull seed cotton from the open bolls by hand and pack it in bags. Next, the seed cotton travels to the ginnery, where saw gins separate fibre from seed. Then lint cleaners remove leaf and trash. Finally, presses form the lint into dense bales, which are hooped, wrapped and marked. Each bale is sampled for classing before it joins an export lot of Cameroon cotton lint.
Typical specification of Cameroon cotton lint
The table below shows typical HVI and classing values. Your contract can set tighter limits where your mill needs them.
| Parameter | Cameroon cotton lint: typical value |
|---|---|
| HS code | 5201.00 (cotton, not carded or combed) |
| Type | Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), saw-ginned |
| Staple length | 28–29 mm (1-3/32 to 1-1/8 in) |
| Micronaire | 3.8–4.9 |
| Strength | 28–31 g/tex |
| Length uniformity | 80–83% |
| Moisture | 8% max |
| Grade | Middling or Strict Low Middling, by lot |
| Bale weight | About 220–230 kg |
Final specifications are confirmed in each contract and verified before loading. In addition, we can share HVI results per lot, so you can match them to your mixing plan.
Grades and staple: how to choose
Cotton trades on grade, staple length and micronaire. So we offer each lot of Cameroon cotton lint by HVI data and an approved type sample.
- Grade: set mainly by colour and trash. Middling and Strict Low Middling are the usual grades, depending on the lot.
- Staple length: about 28–29 mm, a medium staple that suits a wide range of counts.
- Micronaire: a measure of fineness and maturity. The 3.8–4.9 range is the premium band for most mills.
- Strength: 28–31 g/tex, which supports good yarn strength and fewer breaks.
So, which lot suits your mill? If you spin finer ring-spun counts, look for longer staple, high uniformity and good strength. However, if you run open-end spinning for denim or coarse yarns, a lower grade can offer better value. Tell us your counts and your mixing rules, and we will propose lots to match.
Consistency also matters. A narrow spread of micronaire and strength across bales keeps your mix stable. Therefore, many mills ask for bale-by-bale HVI data. We can supply that where the lot data is available.
Stickiness and neps
Two more factors can affect your mill. First, stickiness comes from sugars left by insects on the open boll. Sticky lint can gum up cards and drafting rollers. Second, neps are small fibre knots that show up as specks in yarn and fabric. If either matters to you, ask for a stickiness or nep test on Cameroon cotton lint at inquiry, and we will arrange it through an independent lab.
Quality control for Cameroon cotton lint before loading
We follow five checkpoints for every lot. First, we confirm the source and classing data for the bales. Second, we store bales off the ground in covered warehouses, away from moisture. Third, we sample and test against your contract. Fourth, we check bale marks, wrapping and lot numbers. Finally, inspection and loading take place at Douala or Kribi.
What HVI tests measure
- Upper half mean length (UHML): the staple length that drives spinning limits.
- Length uniformity: how even the fibre lengths are. Higher means less waste.
- Strength (g/tex): how much force the fibre bundle takes before it breaks.
- Micronaire: fineness and maturity, which affect dye uptake and neps.
- Colour (Rd and +b): brightness and yellowness, which help set the grade.
- Trash: leaf and bark left in the lint.
Contamination and moisture
Mills also worry about things HVI does not show. For example, plastic, string or jute fragments in lint can ruin yarn and fabric. So we inspect bales and wrapping by eye, and we reject torn or dirty bales. In addition, we check moisture, because damp bales can lose colour and grade in transit. Only sound, dry bales of Cameroon cotton lint go into the container.
Buyers may also nominate an inspection company, such as SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek or Cotecna, to sample and witness loading. Our quality control page explains each step in detail.
Uses and industries for Cameroon cotton lint
Raw lint is the starting point for the cotton textile chain. As a result, Cameroon cotton lint reaches many kinds of buyers:
- Spinning mills: ring-spun and open-end yarns for knitting and weaving.
- Denim makers: through yarn mills that spin coarse, strong counts.
- Home textiles: towels, bed linen and other cotton-rich fabrics.
- Blended yarns: cotton mixed with polyester or other fibres.
- Cotton merchants: traders who build mixes from several origins for their mill clients.
Merchants also use Cameroon cotton lint to balance their book across origins. For example, a West and Central African growth can sit beside cotton from other regions in a mill’s mix. That spreads supply risk when one large origin has a poor crop or a late harvest.
Mills often blend several growths to hit a target quality at a target cost. So a medium-staple, hand-picked origin like Cameroon can fit well into a wider mix. For world market data, the ICAC publishes regular cotton supply, demand and price reports.
Packaging, loading and container capacity
We supply Cameroon cotton lint in pressed bales of about 220–230 kg. Each bale is hooped with steel or plastic straps and wrapped in cotton or polypropylene cover. Then it is marked with bale number, lot and weight.
- Bale weight: about 220–230 kg gross, confirmed per lot.
- 20ft container: often about 10–11 tonnes, depending on bale density.
- 40ft container: often about 20–22 tonnes, depending on bale density.
Cotton is bulky, so space fills before weight limits. For this reason, most buyers choose 40ft containers, because freight per tonne is usually better. We still accept orders from one 20ft container for buyers who want a trial lot.
We load into clean, dry containers at Douala or Kribi. Before loading, we check the floor and walls for damage, moisture and odours. We also note the bale numbers in each container on the packing list.
Storage and handling of Cameroon cotton lint
Good storage keeps the lint close to its classed quality. Store bales in a dry, well-aired warehouse, off the floor and away from rain and ground damp. Wet bales can yellow, grow mould and lose grade. In addition, damp lint weighs more, which can cause weight disputes.
Cotton also burns easily, so fire safety is vital. Keep bales away from sparks, hot work and smoking areas. Leave aisles between stacks, and keep fire equipment close at hand.
Before opening, many mills let bales rest in the mixing room for a day or more. This lets the fibre adjust to the room’s heat and humidity. Then laydowns of Cameroon cotton lint run more smoothly, with fewer stops and less waste.
Export documents for Cameroon cotton lint
Every shipment travels with a full document set. In short, you receive what customs, your bank and your mill need:
- Commercial invoice and packing list with bale numbers
- Bill of lading
- Phytosanitary certificate from MINADER plant protection
- Certificate of origin
- Weight and quality certificate from the agreed inspection company
- HVI test data, per lot or per bale where available
- Fumigation certificate, where the destination requires it
Cotton contracts also set how weight and quality are finally settled. For example, some contracts use origin weights, while others use final weights at destination. Many international cotton contracts follow the rules of a trade body, such as the International Cotton Association. Tell us which terms you use, and we will draft to match.
Raw lint moves under HS 5201.00 in the WCO Harmonized System. However, national tariffs add more digits, so confirm the full code with your broker. Note too that cotton is not one of the commodities covered by the EU Deforestation Regulation.
We do not offer sustainability-labelled cotton unless the lot can be documented. If your mill needs a specific label, raise it at inquiry, and we will say clearly whether a documented lot is available.
How Cameroon cotton lint pricing works
We do not publish fixed prices, because cotton prices move every day. Instead, each offer reflects the market at the time. Many cotton contracts price against world benchmarks, such as New York futures or a widely used index, with a premium or discount for origin and quality.
- World market: futures and index levels set the base.
- Quality: grade, staple, micronaire and strength adjust the basis.
- Season: new-crop and old-crop lots often price differently.
- Volume: full 40ft loads and repeat contracts help.
- Freight and Incoterm: FOB, CFR or CIF, plus the shipment window.
- Currency: exchange rates affect origin costs.
FOB covers goods loaded on board at Douala or Kribi. CFR adds sea freight to your port, while CIF also adds minimum cargo insurance. Our guide to FOB vs CIF explains the trade-offs.
Price fixing can also vary. Some buyers agree a fixed price at signing. Others agree a basis first and fix the final price later against futures, within an agreed window. Both methods are common in cotton, so tell us which one your company uses.
To get a sharp offer, share your quality limits, volume, port and shipment month. With clear inputs, we can price Cameroon cotton lint on a like-for-like basis, so you can compare it with other growths.
How to order from BV Holdings Agro
The process is short and clear. It runs in four main stages:
- 1. Inquiry: you send grade, staple, micronaire range, volume, destination port and Incoterm.
- 2. Offer and sample: we send an offer with HVI data, plus a type sample where possible.
- 3. Agreement: we both sign a contract with spec, price basis, Incoterm, payment terms, inspection and shipment window.
- 4. Shipment: we prepare, inspect and load, then release documents per the agreed payment terms.
Type samples play a big role in cotton. Before you sign, ask for a sample that shows the grade on offer. Then your classer can compare it with your own standards. An approved sample of Cameroon cotton lint becomes the reference for the inspector at loading.
Payment terms, such as a letter of credit or documentary collection, are agreed per contract. We keep you updated at each stage, from sampling to loading. Our export process page shows each step. New to the origin? Then read how to import from Cameroon first.
Why buy from BV Holdings Agro
- Direct sourcing in Cameroon, so one team in Yaoundé manages your order.
- Lots of Cameroon cotton lint offered with HVI data and type samples before you sign.
- Pre-loading checks, plus independent inspection at your request.
- Clear answers on labels and documents, with no claims we cannot back.
- Part of BV Holdings PLC, which also runs BV Cocoa Products and BV Metal & Minerals.
Cameroon cotton lint FAQ
Do you share HVI data for Cameroon cotton lint?
Yes. We share HVI results per lot, and bale-by-bale data where it is available. The data covers length, uniformity, strength, micronaire, colour and trash. In addition, we can arrange independent testing at your request, so you can confirm the results before the lot is loaded. Results are shared in plain format for your mixing software.
How much does a bale weigh?
Bales usually weigh about 220–230 kg gross. We state the bale count, gross weight and net weight in each offer and on the packing list. Final weights are settled as the contract states, either at origin or at destination. Each bale also carries its own number for tracing. That number links back to the lot of Cameroon cotton lint and its HVI data.
Is Cameroon cotton hand-picked?
Yes, most Cameroon cotton is picked by hand. As a result, it tends to carry less trash than machine-picked cotton. That can help grade and reduce cleaning losses in your mill. However, hand-picking also brings a contamination risk from bags and string, so we inspect bales with care. Torn or dirty bales are set aside before loading.
Which grades of Cameroon cotton lint can you offer?
The usual grades are Middling and Strict Low Middling, depending on the lot and season. Staple length is typically 28–29 mm, with micronaire around 3.8–4.9. We confirm the exact grade and HVI data in each offer. If you need a narrow band, tell us at inquiry. A tighter band may reduce the volume available, so early notice helps.
Which contract rules do you use?
We work to the contract terms agreed with you. Many cotton buyers use the rules of a trade body, such as the International Cotton Association, for quality and weight claims. Tell us your preferred rules at inquiry. Then we will draft the contract to match, including how disputes are settled. Clear rules protect both sides from the start.
Does EUDR apply to cotton?
No. Cotton is not one of the commodities covered by the EU Deforestation Regulation. However, other EU rules and brand policies may still ask for supply chain information. If your customers need specific data, raise it at inquiry, and we will tell you what is available for the lot.
Why do most buyers choose 40ft containers?
Cotton is bulky, so a container fills by space before it reaches its weight limit. A 40ft container usually holds about twice the tonnage of a 20ft. As a result, freight per tonne tends to be lower. We still accept 20ft orders for trial lots of Cameroon cotton lint. We confirm the bale count for each container in the offer.
What is the minimum order?
Our minimum order is one 20ft container. However, most cotton buyers choose 40ft loads for better freight value. We also quote repeat loads across the ginning season. Once your mill approves a lot, we can plan a steady program from new crop onward. Early booking also helps us secure the grades you need before the season’s best lots are sold.
Related commodities
One arm of BV Holdings PLC
BV Holdings Agro is the agricultural export company of BV Holdings PLC, alongside BV Cocoa Products and BV Metal & Minerals.
Request a Cameroon cotton lint quote
Ready to source? Then request a quote for Cameroon cotton lint with your grade, staple, volume and port. You may also need our natural rubber or sesame seeds from the same northern regions.