The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
THIS WEEK: 30 coffee factories closed over unripe coffee
Hundreds of coffee farmers in districts of Lwengo, Sembabule, Masaka were left counting their losses after the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) shut down thirty coffee factories last week over alleged unripe coffee.
The action has rendered almost 80 staff and casual laborers jobless. The decision sparked protests from traders and farmers who were quelled by anti-riot police.
Minister of Agriculture Vincent Sempijja wrote to RDCs in the affected districts to have the factories opened as soon as the factories are rid of bad coffee.
One of the coffee dealers said factory owners invest tonnes of money in coffee farmers to purchase fertilisers and irrigation schemes. He said as dealers they support coffee farmers to make better harvests and in turn they sell to the factories.
