Support Kaweri Plantation
Dec 06, 2002
ONE YEAR ago a $10 million investment in the Kaweri Coffee Plantation in Mubende was launched with great fanfare.
ONE YEAR ago a $10 million investment in the Kaweri Coffee Plantation in Mubende was launched with great fanfare.
At last Uganda was moving into the era of large-scale commercial farming. The parent company Neumann Gruppe of Germany will be using the latest steam washing technology to make sure that the robusta coffee will be internationally attractive.
Coupled with the recent improvement in coffee prices, it appeared as though this investment could be a major export earner once it comes on stream in 2004.
However Ibero, the local managers of Kaweri, are now saying that the whole investment is at risk because Kawanda Research Centre cannot supply them with sufficient coffee plantlets to keep the planting programme on schedule. As a result the parent shareholder is getting nervous and reconsidering its commitment to Uganda.
The problem has been worsened by the reluctance of the Ministry of Agriculture to authorise importation of coffee plantlets from abroad. There are fears that genetically modified plantlets could be imported.
The panic over genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is starting to become counter-productive.
Government has already said that no GMOs are in Uganda or are allowed in Uganda until an official policy is formulated on GMOs. Fair enough but that does not mean that we should stifle all imports of necessary agricultural materials until that policy is in place.
It is absurd that such a critical investment is being put at risk because of red tape.
The Minister of Agriculture should intervene. If Kawanda cannot supply sufficient plantlets, he should ensure that that Neumann and Ibero are facilitated to import the necessary plantlets from an appropriate and reliable supplier.
Ends
At last Uganda was moving into the era of large-scale commercial farming. The parent company Neumann Gruppe of Germany will be using the latest steam washing technology to make sure that the robusta coffee will be internationally attractive.
Coupled with the recent improvement in coffee prices, it appeared as though this investment could be a major export earner once it comes on stream in 2004.
However Ibero, the local managers of Kaweri, are now saying that the whole investment is at risk because Kawanda Research Centre cannot supply them with sufficient coffee plantlets to keep the planting programme on schedule. As a result the parent shareholder is getting nervous and reconsidering its commitment to Uganda.
The problem has been worsened by the reluctance of the Ministry of Agriculture to authorise importation of coffee plantlets from abroad. There are fears that genetically modified plantlets could be imported.
The panic over genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is starting to become counter-productive.
Government has already said that no GMOs are in Uganda or are allowed in Uganda until an official policy is formulated on GMOs. Fair enough but that does not mean that we should stifle all imports of necessary agricultural materials until that policy is in place.
It is absurd that such a critical investment is being put at risk because of red tape.
The Minister of Agriculture should intervene. If Kawanda cannot supply sufficient plantlets, he should ensure that that Neumann and Ibero are facilitated to import the necessary plantlets from an appropriate and reliable supplier.
Ends