THE Tanzania Coffee Board (TCB) Regional Manager, Mr Edmond Zani has revealed that within a period of two months over 35,00 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 best coffee in their fertile plantations thus enabling the farmers to earn more incomes.
He explained that during the auction held on August 22, this year Nguvukazi Agricultural and Marketing Cooperative Societies (AMCOS) from Kyerwa District sold a total of 142,000 kilogrammes of robusta, where a kilogramme was sold at 2,085/-.
Kijumbura AMCOS from Karagwe District sold a total of 136,300 kilogrammes of robusta coffee, where a kilogramme of coffee was paid 2,135/-, while Ngara AMCOS sold a total of 15,128 kilogrammes of Arabica, where a kilogramme was paid 3,090/-.
He explained that the auctions were being held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays covering AMCOS under the Kagera Cooperative Union (KCU), Karagwe District Cooperative Union (KDCU) and Ngara AMCOS.
KCU comprised about 134 AMCOS with 60,000 members. Out of the number, 53 were in Muleba, 27 in Missenyi, 51 in Bukoba Rural, while three others are in Bukoba Urban. KDCU on the other hand, comprised of 126 AMCOS.
Meanwhile, Ngara AMCOS leaders have appealed to TCB to ensure that the buyers collect the coffee from the AMCOS facilities after the auctions, to avoid risks including thefts and fire outbreak.
An official identified by single name as Zepha, explained that some of the buyers delayed to collect the coffee from AMCOS facilities for more than three weeks thus risking the crop.
“We (leaders) were being blamed by the farmers because the AMCOS facilities were full and we cannot receive more coffee from the farmers. Some of the buyers delay in collecting the coffee causing risks including thefts and fire outbreak,” he said.
