By shemejiakida@gmail.com
Coffee farmers a cross the country could now breath after the President assured them of no government plans to license coffee growers.
“There’s no license for coffee growers. The Katikiro of Buganda should stop talking about it. What is happening is registration of farmers and the reason is export trace ability.” Says Museveni.
The President was addressing the nation on wealth creation yesterday night at his presidential home in Nakasero in a 2hours press conference where he warned the Katikiro of Buganda Owek. Charles Peter Mayiga to stop talking about coffee licencing.
“I heard this Katikiro lying about licensing but I have sent a message to somebody to tell him to stop that nonsense.” Museveni quoted in verbatim.
He further said that the government is planning to register farmers in order to improve on the quality of coffee exports. Currently, Uganda exports over 3.5M bags of coffee and its strategy is to increase the exports volumes to 20M bags by 2020.
There have been media reports on new coffee law which to many misconceived on licencing coffee growers something that prompted the Katikiro of Buganda and a section of Ugandans to outrightly reject the proposal.
It should be rembered that on 15th July,2019, while addressing the Lukiiko ( Buganda Parliament) during the reading of 121b, 2019/29 Budget for the kingdom, Premier Charles Peter Mayiga warned that the coffee Bill, 2018, consists of clauses that compels farmers to register arguing that when enacted into law will leave out many small scale producers in the industry.
However, reports by Uganda Coffee Development Authority [UCDA] shows that government is drafting new law that seeks to regulate the growing and sale of coffee in Offings.
According to UCDA, the National Coffee Bill, 2018 seeks to ensure quality in the coffee sector and will replace Uganda Coffee Development Authority Act, 1991 which is only limited to covering the market and processing stages of coffee.
The Authority also denies the move to license coffee growers saying registration of coffee farmers shall enable quality produces that compet in the world market.https://theparrots08.blogspot.com
When passed into law, the National Coffee Act, 2018, shall give the government mandates to supervise farmer’s land, assess its suitability which in the end shall enable it channel information and materials about coffee to only registered farmers.
DAILY COFFEE MARKET PRICES
In US Cents per lb. – 18/07/2019
SCREEN 18: 69.50
ROBUSTA – SCREEN 15:64.50
ROBUSTA – SCREEN 12:61.50
ARABICA – BUGISU AA: 102.40
ARABICA – BUGISU A: 101.40
ARABICA – BUGISU PB: 101.40
ARABICA – BUGISU B: 99.40
ARABICA – WUGAR: 100.40
ARABICA – DRUGAR: 81.40
In Uganda Shillings per Kg
KIBOKO: 2,000-2,300 /=
FAQ: 4,000-4,500 /=
ARABICA PARCHMENT: 4,000-4,700 /=
DRUGAR COFFEE (CLEAN): 4,000-4,500 /=
Source: Market Prices: Adapted from UCDA website.
www.ugandatraderes.go.ug
