Coffee traders to boost quality in Kasese
Aug 05, 2008
Coffee traders in Kasese district have formed an association to improve the quality of the crop in the area. The group will work with the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) to sensitise farmers on how to plant and harvest high quality coffee.
By Columbus Tusiime
Coffee traders in Kasese district have formed an association to improve the quality of the crop in the area. The group will work with the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) to sensitise farmers on how to plant and harvest high quality coffee.
Thembo Morris, the chairperson of the Kasese Coffee Traders Association, said since their operations started in March, the quality of the crop had improved.
He said the association was formed following an outcry from traders that farmers were mixing stones and husks in coffee beans to increase their weight.
Recently, two tonnes of stones and five sacks of husks were found in coffee factories in Kisinga sub-county.
It was suspected that the factory owners mix the stones and husks in the coffee beans ready for sale.
As a result, the association resolved to fine farmers and factory owners, whose coffee has stones, sh100,000.
A trader found mixing coffee beans with stones and husk will be fined sh20,000 per bag.
Thembo said the price of a kilogramme of coffee beans had been hiked from sh2,300 to sh2, 900.
Rwenzori region is one of the areas that produce quality coffee.
UCDA coordinator Jimmy Baluk said the district gets sh20b from coffee each harvest season which starts in September and ends in January.
Coffee traders in Kasese district have formed an association to improve the quality of the crop in the area. The group will work with the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) to sensitise farmers on how to plant and harvest high quality coffee.
Thembo Morris, the chairperson of the Kasese Coffee Traders Association, said since their operations started in March, the quality of the crop had improved.
He said the association was formed following an outcry from traders that farmers were mixing stones and husks in coffee beans to increase their weight.
Recently, two tonnes of stones and five sacks of husks were found in coffee factories in Kisinga sub-county.
It was suspected that the factory owners mix the stones and husks in the coffee beans ready for sale.
As a result, the association resolved to fine farmers and factory owners, whose coffee has stones, sh100,000.
A trader found mixing coffee beans with stones and husk will be fined sh20,000 per bag.
Thembo said the price of a kilogramme of coffee beans had been hiked from sh2,300 to sh2, 900.
Rwenzori region is one of the areas that produce quality coffee.
UCDA coordinator Jimmy Baluk said the district gets sh20b from coffee each harvest season which starts in September and ends in January.