AfricaPress-Tanzania: DEPUTY Minister for Agriculture, Mr Hussein Bashe, has called for stability in the coffee industry, and directed cooperatives to reduce expenditure so as to boost prices for agricultural produces.
The Deputy Minister also asked the Tanzania Agriculture Development Bank (TADB), to consider the best strategy that could help reduce interest from eleven to nine percent.
Mr Bashe gave the advice when he met with an official of the Tanzania Coffee Board, Karagwe Development Cooperative Union (KDCU), Kagera Cooperative Union (KCU), and Registrar of Cooperatives societies, Dr Benson Ndiege.
During the meeting, the Deputy Minister directed the Registrar to search and bring before the law all persons involved in causing a 7bn/-loss to KCU and KDCU, which the farmers are paying at the expense of the embezzlers.
The Deputy Minister said if measures and systems are in place in cooperatives and running of the industry, the next season prices should rise to between 2,500/-and 3,000/- from the current 2,260/-.
He wanted the cooperatives to come up with a system that will enable farmers to receive payments within 48 hours after selling their crops.
Moreover, he said farmers need to be notified through short text messages on the amount of raw coffee received at the cooperative societies for real data and stock analysis, which will ultimately effect payment.
He insisted on transparency, especially on tonnes of coffee which is among the strategic crops.
Mr Bashe used the platform to advice KDCU to see how best they will increase their investment so that they can increase the amount of processed coffee to meet the market demand.
On his part, the Registrar said they will work on the challenges facing the industry together with the board and all interested parties for lasting solutions.
However, he said they should come up with a national agenda on dealing with the challenge instead of a single coffee cooperative union.
Dr Ndiege said working in pieces will give room to those with bad intentions to use it as a scapegoat. Kyerwa District Commissioner (DC), Mr Rashid Mwaimu called for training and education to farmers on their role in cooperative unions before any change of system.
“Farmers do not know their role and importance in the cooperatives, and they elect board members who at the end of the day put them in trouble,” said Mr Mwaimu The Deputy Minister also underscored the need for the Tanzania Cooperatives Development Commission (TCDC), to come up with a well-integrated management system that will enforce transparency, accountability and control embezzlement in cooperative unions.
He gave the food for thought to TCDC Commissioners during a meeting to deliberate on a number of measures aimed at strengthening efficiency, accountability and operation of cooperative unions and societies countrywide.
The deputy minister wanted the commissioners to change their way of thinking to foster and restore the cooperative unions and society member’s lost faith and come together for a vibrant sector.
