Coffee could balance trade â€" minister
Sep 29, 2011
Agriculture state minister Prof. Zirubaberi Nyiira Mijumbi has said the Government wants to increase coffee exports by more than one million bags next year.
By Ismael Kasooha
Agriculture state minister Prof. Zirubaberi Nyiira Mijumbi has said the Government wants to increase coffee exports by more than one million bags next year.
“The dollar is appreciating at a faster rate because our foreign exchange earnings have declined and we hope coffee exports can address this,†said Mijumbi.
The minister was recently presiding over the Kibaale district coffee show organised by Café Africa, the Uganda Coffee Development Authority and the local government at Nalweyo Primary School in Kibaale district.
Mijumbi said the country was exporting 2.5 million bags of coffee annually but hoped to increase that number to over 3.5 million bags.
He added that the agricultural sector was capable of employing the youth who had been complaining that there were no jobs in the country.
“I want to assure you that my sector has the capacity to employ all the youth in this country,†Mijumbi said.
The minister said the Government wants to bring the youth to the fore in as far as addressing agriculture and the unemployment challenge was concerned.
He said the Government wanted coffee farmers to increase their coffee acreage because the more coffee they grow, the more money they were likely to earn after the sale of the coffee.
Mijumbi also asked Ugandans to improve food production for food security.
Agriculture state minister Prof. Zirubaberi Nyiira Mijumbi has said the Government wants to increase coffee exports by more than one million bags next year.
“The dollar is appreciating at a faster rate because our foreign exchange earnings have declined and we hope coffee exports can address this,†said Mijumbi.
The minister was recently presiding over the Kibaale district coffee show organised by Café Africa, the Uganda Coffee Development Authority and the local government at Nalweyo Primary School in Kibaale district.
Mijumbi said the country was exporting 2.5 million bags of coffee annually but hoped to increase that number to over 3.5 million bags.
He added that the agricultural sector was capable of employing the youth who had been complaining that there were no jobs in the country.
“I want to assure you that my sector has the capacity to employ all the youth in this country,†Mijumbi said.
The minister said the Government wants to bring the youth to the fore in as far as addressing agriculture and the unemployment challenge was concerned.
He said the Government wanted coffee farmers to increase their coffee acreage because the more coffee they grow, the more money they were likely to earn after the sale of the coffee.
Mijumbi also asked Ugandans to improve food production for food security.