UCDA gives out wet processing equipment to coffee farmers in Uganda
January 23 - 2023
Coffee Geography Magazine
The Minister of State for Agriculture of Uganda, Bwino Fred Kyakulaga launched the distribution of coffee wet processing equipment to coffee processors in the country. The Ministry with the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) gave out the wet mills to 35 Arabica-coffee farmers, cooperatives and institutions selected from different parts of the country.
The program is part of UCDA's efforts to increase specialty coffee volumes and enable farmers and the country to earn premium prices from high-quality arabica coffee.
The head of the Ministry handed over five electric-powered wet processing units (UDC 2000) with a capacity to process 1,200 kgs of cherry per hour and 30 petrol-powered units with a processing capacity of 800kgs of cherry per hour. Once installed, the machines will pulp ripe coffee, separate the unripe and dry pods from the good parchment, and remove mucilage leaving high-quality parchment.
The equipment will serve farmers and groups in hard-to-reach areas of Kween, Lamwo, Bundibugyo, Ntoroko, Buhweju, Kanungu, and Kisoro that have all benefited from the program.
During the launching of the distribution of the equipments to the selected beneficiaries in Kampala, Kyakulaga said “Uganda has 18 commercial wet mills only compared to dry mills which are over 850.”
He noted the need to scale up wet processing to produce commercial volumes in Arabica and Robusta growing areas which will fetch farmers’ premium prices.
Bwino added that the main objective of procuring the 35 wet processing equipment is to increase the number of wet mills and enhance coffee farmers’ income through value addition by increasing the production of high-quality coffee.
Most of our coffee is processed and marketed as natural and misses the premium prices. Yet, if the coffee is processed as washed and specialty coffee, it earns more.
Speaking at the same event, Dr. Emmanuel Iyamulemye, the Managing Director at UCDA, said that the Authority worked with Local Governments to select the beneficiaries.
"We went through a transparent and rigorous process to select the beneficiaries. Many farmer groups and cooperatives applied for the wet mills but since the funds available weren’t enough, the most qualified organisations were considered.”
Alfred Boyo, a director at Masha Coffee, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, expressed gratitude to UCDA and MAAIF for availing wet mills to farmers, noting that they will handle them with care and make the best use of them.
He added that the Government should also consider investing more in secondary processing by making available relevant equipment like roasters and grinders.
SCOGEM Enterprises Ltd supplied the equipment. Walter Upoki Umika, the Managing Director at SCOGEM Enterprises Ltd, said all the machines are full coffee washing equipment and can do pulping, sorting, flotation, mucilage removal and have the flexibility to do honey coffee.
In FY 2020/21, Uganda earned US$ 559 million from 6.1 million 60-kilo bags. Placing substantial investment in the coffee sub-sector will be a game-changer for the country and the 1.8 million households who benefit from coffee.