AfricaPress-Tanzania: GOVERNMENT has affirmed its commitment to create an enabling environment for coffee farmers to improve their produce and benefit from value addition.
Deputy Minister for Agriculture Hussein Bashe said in order for the coffee farmers to get the best prices, the government in collaboration with the private and financial sectors, are mobilising farmers to purchase Central Pulpery Unit – CPU processing machines.
He said the CPU machine will help in value addition of the cash crop as farmers can process coffee to the desired quality.
“This process will help farmers to produce coffee with the required standards in international markets,” he said.
Mr Bashe gave the clarification in Parliament when responding to Ngara legislator Mr Ndaisaba Ruhoro who wanted to know the government’s plans to create a conducive environment for local coffee producers to enable them enjoy best prices as their colleagues in neighbouring countries.
Mr Ruhoro also questioned the involvement of the private sector in buying coffee direct from the farmers instead of cooperative unions which makes it less competitive due to low prices.
Mr Bashe said the government is revamping the cooperative unions for them to offer competitive prices and improve exports of coffee.
Furthermore, he said, the government has initiated discussions with major coffee buyers in the world like Strabag, to introduce the country coffee into their market.
“The ultimate goal is to see the company (Strabag) embrace Tanzania coffee brands,” he said.
On top of that, Mr Bashe said the ministry is working on a logo that will introduce Tanzania products to end users.
Mr Bashe said coffee selling business is conducted through cooperative unions and societies whereas in 2020/21 season, as of January, Kagera Region had in stock a total of 78,309,239 kilogrammes of cherry coffee, while private buyers had 13,129,491-kilogrammes.
The Deputy Minister said Kagera Region has seven dealers namely Kaderes Co. Ltd, Karagwe Estates, Kyeju’s Co. Ltd, Shayakye Co. Ltd, Kongeru Co. Ltd, Khasum Co. Ltd and Togabe Co. Ltd.
He insisted that the government will keep on working with private sector in boosting coffee production and sales.
“Private coffee buying companies are being invited to register as they increase competition in the market and at the end of the day it is the farmers who benefits with the best packages,” said Mr Bashe.
For increased coffee production, he said, the government is having a special strategy in production of seedlings as almost 55,722,185 have been distributed to farmers.
“We want to produce at least 20-million seedlings annually so that we reach our benchmark of producing 300,000 tonnes of coffee come 2025,” said the Deputy Minister.
