Kahawa Festival 2024 a big success
KILIMANJARO: TRIBUTES have been given to all coffee stakeholders who have made the dream of having the 5th Edition of Kahawa Festival into a reality the same known as Kahawa Festival 2024.
Giving up these tributes was the Kilimanjaro Regional Commissioner, Mr Nurdin Hassan Babu when officiating at the launching of Kahawa Festival 2024 held at the 2nd Floor of Kahawa House located a stone throw from the Clock Tower of Moshi on Monday 9th September 2024.
Mr Babu thanks the coffee stakeholders for welcoming him to officiate at the launching of Kahawa Festival 2024 which will be held at the Tanganyika Coffee Curing Company (TCCCo) Limited premises on 4th -6th October 2024.
“Coffee Value Chain have a lot of employment opportunities from the coffee farm to drinking a cup of coffee. The region has a low rate of local consumption of coffee, let’s all strive to increase this rate” he said adding that it is his believe that if all stakeholders collaborate for collective action than reaching the 15% rate from the current 7% of the same is very possible.
He further said it will be a very good idea if stakeholders strive to produce a good quality cup of coffee the same to satisfy the coffee thirsty of both locals and foreigners.
“Statistics reveal that in its hey years Kilimanjaro region used to produce 25,000 tons of coffee annually but alas the same currently stands at 300 tons only” he said adding that currently prices are favourable in the world market as the price of coffee is now Tshs 10,000/- per kilogramme.
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With this in mind he said residents in the region can revive their coffee farms by planting in them the new varieties of Arabica coffee seedlings produced by the assistances of Tanzania Coffee Research Institute (TaCRI).
“To the best of my knowledge these seedlings produce higher yields per unit area, resistant to Arabica coffee deadly disease namely Coffee Berry Disease (CBD) and Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) thus reducing production cost as less fungicides and herbicides is required, produces coffee with bigger bean sizes with good flavour the same liked by many people across the globe thus always fetching competitive prices in the world market” he said.
The Kilimanjaro RC also said the future of coffee farmers in the region is bright as a total of 3 million of such seedlings will be produced with assistances from TaCRI annually the same later to be distributed to farmers for planting in their farms freely.
On his side when welcoming coffee stakeholders in this event the Chairman of Kahawa Festival 2024 organising committee, Mr Denis Mahalu also the Vice-Chairman of Tanzania Coffee Association (TCA) outlined the many events which will take place on during the Kahawa Festival 2024.
He mentioned such events to include conferences centre, coffee testing, cupping competition, fine coffee competition, coffee museum and presentation of papers by various stakeholders.
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Earlier when welcoming the Kilimanjaro RC to officiate in this event the Director General of Tanzania Coffee Board (TCB), Mr Primus Kimaryo took time to give a short history of the state of coffee industry in the region also stating very clearly as to the need of increasing the rate of local consumption of coffee from 7% to 15%.
Giving a vote of thanks to the Kilimanjaro RC on behalf of all stakeholders was the Vice-Chairman of TCA, Mr. Noel Yatera who promised to adhere to all advices given by the RC all aiming at the betterment of the coffee industry in the region.
This event was well attended by stakeholders drawn from TCA, TaCRI, Dorman, Tanzania Women in Coffee Association (TAWOCA), KNCU (1984) Limited, Karagwe District Cooperative Union (KDCU), City Coffee, Café Africa and Choice Coffee (coffee roasters) not forgetting journalists.
