By Prossy Nandudu
Coffee is one of Uganda’s number-one income earners. Although the crop is lucrative, people interested in trading in it have to consider various factors beyond the farm. According to Edward Lutakome, a coffee expert from the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA), farmers must explore existing standards before venturing into coffee as a business. The standards start from the farm all the way to the market. Lutakome pointed out some areas that farmers should look out for, and these include the following:
Moisture content
Ensure that the moisture content is below 12.5%.
Insect damage shouldn’t exceed 10%, and broken coffee shouldn’t exceed 5%, according to ISO.
Pesticides Residue
The levels of pesticide residues should not exceed the maximum limits set by the Codex Commission.
Packaging
Under packaging, green coffee beans should be packaged in good-grade materials to ensure safety and maintain the integrity of the product. These tips were given during the coffee training session for farmers interested in embracing coffee as a business. The training is taking place at the 2024 Harvest Money Expo, taking place at Kololo Independence Grounds.
The expo is organised by Vision Group with support from Kingdom of the Netherlands, Techno Serve, Tunga Nutrition, Engsol Engineering Solutions, National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS), dfcu Bank, Uganda Investment Authority, Uganda Warehouse Receipt system Authority, Pepsi, State House Uganda, AKVO International, MAAIF, PSFU and KOICA. The expo is running under the theme, “Farming as a business”.
