Lack of watchdog hurts tea quality
Tea producers are worried about the increasing decline in tea quality. They attribute the development to unregulated competition and the absence of a regulatory body in Uganda to control tea production and ensure quality.
BY PATSON BARAIRE
Tea producers are worried about the increasing decline in tea quality. They attribute the development to unregulated competition and the absence of a regulatory body in Uganda to control tea production and ensure quality.
Caleb Tumwesimire Kipande, the chairman of Kayonza Growers Tea Factory in Kanungu district, voiced the concern during the 16th annual general meeting of the firm at the factory headquarters.
He noted that because of competition, tea growers were more concerned about quantity rather than quality.
“This has compromised the quality of tea on the market because there is nobody to set standards or regulations and enforce them,†he said.
Kipande said each of 30 tea factories in Uganda uses its own grading and standards, leading to a decline in the quality of the country’s tea on the world market.
Kipande said the Uganda Tea Association, which brings together tea producers, has no mandate to regulate the quality of tea.
Meanwhile, Kayonza Growers Tea Factory has increased the farm gate price of green tea leaves from sh300 to sh370 per kilogramme.
The board has also approved payment of a sh1,200 dividend to farmers per share for 2010.
While announcing the rises, Kipande asked the farmers to increase production by improving crop husbandry and plantation acreage to earn more income.
On average, a tea farmer has five acres under tea and owns at least 100 shares in the tea factory.
A farmer can earn up to sh10m in dividends each year.
The farmers also re-elected Kamasha Joseph and Twinomugisha Johnson the factory directors.
Other directors whose contracts were still running are Kamashaka Caleb, Byoruganda Sam and Agaba Kyomukama.
The board also re-elected Caleb Tumwesimire as the chairman.
A farmer, Johnson Twinomugisha, thanked the co-operative, saying he has educated his children to university using the income from the tea.
Marcial Asiimwe, the Kayonza Growers Tea Factory group manager, said despite the sh800m net profit realised in 2010, the factory was struggling against high commodity prices and poor roads, which impact negatively on their production.
Tea producers are worried about the increasing decline in tea quality. They attribute the development to unregulated competition and the absence of a regulatory body in Uganda to control tea production and ensure quality.
Caleb Tumwesimire Kipande, the chairman of Kayonza Growers Tea Factory in Kanungu district, voiced the concern during the 16th annual general meeting of the firm at the factory headquarters.
He noted that because of competition, tea growers were more concerned about quantity rather than quality.
“This has compromised the quality of tea on the market because there is nobody to set standards or regulations and enforce them,†he said.
Kipande said each of 30 tea factories in Uganda uses its own grading and standards, leading to a decline in the quality of the country’s tea on the world market.
Kipande said the Uganda Tea Association, which brings together tea producers, has no mandate to regulate the quality of tea.
Meanwhile, Kayonza Growers Tea Factory has increased the farm gate price of green tea leaves from sh300 to sh370 per kilogramme.
The board has also approved payment of a sh1,200 dividend to farmers per share for 2010.
While announcing the rises, Kipande asked the farmers to increase production by improving crop husbandry and plantation acreage to earn more income.
On average, a tea farmer has five acres under tea and owns at least 100 shares in the tea factory.
A farmer can earn up to sh10m in dividends each year.
The farmers also re-elected Kamasha Joseph and Twinomugisha Johnson the factory directors.
Other directors whose contracts were still running are Kamashaka Caleb, Byoruganda Sam and Agaba Kyomukama.
The board also re-elected Caleb Tumwesimire as the chairman.
A farmer, Johnson Twinomugisha, thanked the co-operative, saying he has educated his children to university using the income from the tea.
Marcial Asiimwe, the Kayonza Growers Tea Factory group manager, said despite the sh800m net profit realised in 2010, the factory was struggling against high commodity prices and poor roads, which impact negatively on their production.