Tanzania: Kagera Coffee Attracts International Market

 

By Dailynews Reporter

SUBSTANTIVE measures undertaken by Karagwe District Co-operative Union (KDCU) to enhance coffee productivity and quality have enabled framers to secure international market for the crop.

KDCU General Manager, Mr Oscar Mujuni said that farmers were now confident to sell their crop in the international market because their produce has met the required quality.

Mr Mujuni said that they have managed to find buyers after they decided to improve the quality of the crop which is currently exported to various nations in the world.

"KDCU has successfully acquired coffee buyers from European countries, including Switzerland, the United Kingdom and France, a situation that has led to increased productivity," he said.

He explained that the current cooperative system has increased the value of coffee collected from farmers for processing and grading before the produce is exported. Mr Mujuni said that in the past, sold coffee lacked the required standards, but now the situation has improved and they are currently getting feedback if the crop is also sold at international market.

"Thanks to the management of the cooperatives, the farmer has now been able to realize the importance of selling his coffee without pods if it has been dried up, which increases the value of coffee, thus fetching good price at the international market," he added.

Speaking on the impact of this move, Mr Mujuni said the production and processing of coffee in Kagera region has significantly reduced unemployment by increasing the number of people who are self-employed or unemployed in the cultivation of the crop, including young people, women and even the elderly, which has increased their income and raised the standard of living.

He added that the decision in adding value to the coffee crop has given the farmer the assurance that the coffee he sells will be bought at a higher price in the world market than it was previously when coffee was sold at any level, which was not productive in price.

According to a study conducted by KDCU, Karagwe and Kyerwa districts, through KDCU and its 125 primary cooperative associations have increased productivity in the crop significantly, especially in season of the crop in 2019/2020 to the season of 2021.