Luwero Traders Protest Coffee Association’s Quality Control Enforcement Operations

By Spurb Ernest

Traders and leaders of a coffee association have clashed in Luwero district over quality control enforcement operations

The Association and the Police have since conducted operations to impound immature coffee from traders and farmers to ensure dealers comply with quality control guidelines.

The Uganda Quality Coffee Traders and Processors Association met coffee traders in Luwero town council to sensitize them on quality measures and registration of farmers

Kizza Kawonawo a coffee trader in Luwero town said that the Association field officers’ conduct operations where they impound coffee on grounds that it’s immature but pour some on the ground before they disappear with others on their trucks

Kizza questioned where the Association got powers to pour the coffee on the ground and disappear with others instead of reporting them to the Police for prosecution

Denis Kunobwa a coffee farmer said that some field officers of the Association are instead working with a section of dealers in immature coffee to offer them protection against prosecution by the Police

But Sammy Yiga Muwonge the Project Coordinator at Uganda Quality Coffee Traders and Processors Association defended the involvement in enforcement operations saying it intended to protect and promote the quality of coffee in the market.

Muwonge said that those who are against the operations are dealing in immature coffee and they want to continue with the practice

Grace Ewiku the Deputy Commandant of the Crop and Chemical Protection Unit in the Ministry of Agriculture said they welcome the Association’s effort to ensure compliance with the quality control laws and asked the traders to desist from dealing in immature coffee