Coffee farmers across the country welcomed Buganda King Ronald Muwenda Mutebi’s call to the government to engage them on issues of coffee because they are stakeholders.
Speaking at his 29th coronation celebrations last Sunday at Bulange in Mengo, Kampala, Kabaka Mutebi encouraged all coffee farmers to make sure that they add value to their coffee as a way of increasing their benefits from farming.
“I want to speak on the issue of coffee farming and to remind our people to plant and continue adding value to coffee. We also thank our people for embracing the voice of Katikkiro on the campaign of growing coffee because, now there are signs which show that in Buganda kingdom, this issue has been embraced and put into practice and the yields have increased,” he said.
The Kabaka added that Uganda can only benefit from coffee production if farmers focus on maintaining standards and this can only be achieved if coffee seedlings, fertilisers and pesticides are sold at favourable prices.
“Coffee is one of the products which contributes the biggest percentage to the economy of the country and it has also employed Ugandans starting from the grassroots. Coffee production is one of the income-generating activities that can reduce poverty in the county because it involves several business subsectors. Therefore, we urge the government to put in place measures that can help coffee stakeholders to benefit from the product.”
“We thank leaders in Buganda and other regions who have fought harder for our common people, especially on the issue of coffee farming. Coffee farming has always been the source of earning in Buganda and many have benefitted from it and have been able to take their children to school.”
Kabaka Mutebi also urged the government to put measures that will deter coffee prices from going too low. “We need voices of local individuals and companies dealing in coffee to be heard by the government on the issue of coffee.”
His statements come at a time when coffee farmers in Uganda are puzzled by the controversial coffee deal signed between the government and Uganda Vinci Coffee Ltd a few months.
An investor (Uganda Vinci Coffee Ltd) was given an exclusive right to buy the country’s coffee. Despite the fact that Parliament voted to terminate this deal, there are still invisible forces fighting hard to see that this deal pass.
Meanwhile one of the coffee farmers who welcomed Kabaka Mutebi’s statement was the former New Vision boss Robert Kabushenga who through his Twitter account said, “ Kabaka wa Buganda has ordered his subjects to “add strength” in planting coffee and adding value in unique ways. And has thanked them for listening to Charles Peter Mayiga’s voice on the matter of Uganda Coffee. We have understood the order. Spread the word.”
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