AUTHORITIES in Kyerwa district, Kagera region recently intercepted a consignment of 21 tonnes of coffee being smuggled to a neighboring country.
Kyerwa District Council Chairman, Mr Bahati James told the full council meeting held on Wednesday that the consignment was intercepted near the Murongo border.
Though the country where the consignment was being smuggled to was not disclosed it is understandable that through Murongo border one can cross to either Rwanda or Uganda.
“Several suspects, four vehicles and ten motor cycles have been arrested and are helping in the police investigations. People have been cautioned to avoid smuggling the cash crop because the offense amounts to economic sabotage,” he warned.
Mr James also reminded farmers to ensure that they sell their coffee through their respective Agricultural and Marketing Cooperative Societies (AMCOS) because the government had put in place necessary logistics to enable them to get good prices.
“We commend President Samia Suluhu Hassan for implementing people- oriented projects that have positively improved their lives. The government-led interventions have enabled farmers in Kagera region to get attractive prices for their coffee sold through the AMCOS,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tanzania Coffee Board (TCB) Regional Manager, Mr Edmond Zani revealed that within a period of two months over 35,000 tonnes of coffee were sold through on-line auctions, enabling Kagera farmers to pocket over 75.1bn/-.
“The government-led interventions have positively improved farmers livelihoods in Kagera region enabling them to pocket over 75.1bn/- for 35,000 tonnes of coffee sold through on-line auctions within a period of two months. This is very commendable” he said.
Karagwe and Kyerwa districts were leading by producing the best coffee in their fertile fields, enabling the farmers to earn more incomes.
He explained that during the auction held on August 31, this year Nyaruzumbura AMCOS from Kyerwa district sold a total of 221,471 kilogrammes of coffee with a kilogramme of Robusta fetching 2,215/- while Rwele AMCOS sold a total of 78,508 kilogrammes at 2,205/- per kg.
Ngara AMCOS in Ngara district sold a total of 61,775 kilogrammes at 2,090/- per kilogramme while Ruhoko AMCOS from Bukoba DC sold a total of 63,116 kilogrammes of Robusta with a kilogramme fetching 2,100/-.Buganguzi AMCOS in Muleba district sold a total of 162 kilogrammes of Arabica clean at 4,005/- per kilogramme.
He explained that the auctions are being held on Monday, Wednesday and Friday covering AMCOS under the Kagera Cooperative Union (KCU), Karagwe District Cooperative Union (KDCU) and Ngara AMCOS.
