Bugisu coffee farmers rewarded

31-07-2009

KAMPALA – ‘3OVER 100 Arabica coffee farmers in Bugisu have won prizes from Kyagulanyi Coffee for supplying large tonnages of cherries to the local coffee export firm.

The items that included 140 pruning saws, four television sets, 10 coffee pulpers, 140 hoes, 20 mobile phones, 12 bicycles and 140 clippers were handed over to the farmers at Mount Elgon Hotel in Mbale on Wednesday.

Mustafa Nsubuga, the Kyagulanyi Coffee general manager, explained that the items were given to farmers who supplied between 1,000 to 6,000 kilogrammes of coffee last season.

“We want farmers to realise that coffee growing is a profitable venture that requires better growing, processing and storage to fetch higher prices on the world market,” Nsubuga said, adding that supplies were for both ordinary and premium coffee.

Ordinary coffee consists of beans that have been indiscriminately stripped from the branches during harvesting, while premium coffee means only red cherries have been picked.

Kyagalangi coffee Ltd has merged over 5000 coffee farmers in Bugisu region since 2007 under the Mt. Elgon Washed Arabica project in a bid to step up the quality and quantity of coffee produced in the region.