Kagadi coffee factories close over poor standards
Feb 06, 2014
The Uganda Coffee Development Authority-UCDA has closed 3 Coffee factories in Kagadi town council Kibaale district due to lack of operating Licenses and working in poor hygienic conditions.
By Ismael Kasooha
The Uganda Coffee Development Authority-UCDA has closed 3 Coffee factories in Kagadi town council Kibaale district due to lack of operating Licenses and working in poor hygienic conditions.
“We don’t want coffee factories to interfere with the other businesses in town and become a source of disease,” said Alice Nansamba the Western Regional Coffee Technical Officer.
According Nansamba the poor hygienic conditions have contributed a lot to poor quality of coffee which leads to low market prices at International level.
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The factories closed on Wednesday include Kagadi Coffee Works, Kaboyo Coffee factory and Ruyonza coffee factory all in Kagadi town.
Nansamba said that the impromptu operation aimed at checking whether the coffee factories are conforming to the set standards in order not to compromise on quality.
She said that Coffee dealers in the country have been warned on several occasions but do not heed to the safety precautions.
“Some factories are also drying coffee beans on bare ground yet they ar aware of the requirements,” said Nansamba.
She asked store and factory owners to ensure there stores are cemented and the walls plastered to avoid compromising quality.
As the authorities closed the factories, the owners admitted to have been in the wrong and pledged to fulfill the requirements in order to produce coffee of high quality but UCDA did not retract the decision.
They said that the requirements being asked by UCDA will help them to save money.
“It is good because as coffee traders we shall get good quality coffee from farmers,” said one of the dealers.
In the same operation, Nansamba went to Kyenzige Sub County where all stores for farmers found with Poor quality Coffee were closed and coffee that was drying on bare ground was thrown in the bush.
During the Operation, the Coordinator Uganda Coffee Development Authority western region Jackson Bagonza assured that the hunt for farmers with poor quality Coffee continues not until the set standards are met.