AGRICULTURAL and Marketing Cooperative Societies (AMCOS) in Kagera Region should be allowed to export coffee, the Chairman for Kyerwa District Council Kashunju Runyogote has said.
Under the current system, the coffee produced domestically must be sold through cooperatives but Mr Runyogote is appealing for government intervention to allow exportation of the crop.
He made the appeal yesterday during discussion on a report findings by a team of experts comprising officials from the Regional Commissioner’s office and the Agricultural Non State Actors’ Forum (ANSAF).
“We appeal for government intervention to make necessary amendments and allow Agricultural and Marketing Cooperative Societies (AMCOS) in Kagera Region to sell their coffee direct at international markets instead of the present system where they are forced to hand the crop to Kagera Cooperative Union (KCU) and Karagwe District Cooperative Union (KDCU), because the Unions are basically a burden to the farmers,” he argued.
Mr Christopher Kiiza, a coffee farmer from Missenyi District, on the other hand noted that there was a lot of bureaucracies among cooperative unions adding that many of the assets including hotels and real estates did not benefit the farmers adding that there was a need for improved control of coffee marketing system to enable the farmers to enjoy their sweat.
“Coffee farmers in the country including those in Kagera Region will benefit through direct export system by getting attractive price for their crop. Cooperative Unions will also avoid paying high interest rates charged by financial institutions,” he argued.
KCU comprised of about 133 AMCOS, out of the number, 53 are in Muleba, 51 in Bukoba Rural, 26 in Missenyi while three others are in Bukoba Urban.
Kagera Regional Cooperative Development Officer, Mr Robert Kitambo appealed to Cooperative Officers in Muleba, Missenyi, Bukoba, Karagwe, Kyerwa and Ngara districts to educate the farmers on the importance of the WRS whereby farmers will get payment through their bank accounts, also emphasizing the need for collective responsibility and faithfulness.
“Coffee farmers in Kagera Region will benefit from the services provided under the Warehouse Receipts System (WRS).
Under Section 22(1) of the Warehouse Receipts Act, 2005 each applicant for a licence to operate a Warehouse should have a Certificate of Insurance-insuring all commodities which are or maybe in such Warehouse for their full market value for loss by fire, theft, burglary, arson or any other cause
