Rutsiro: coffee growers in agony over low prices

 

The price of coffee has considerably dropped in this economic year compared to the last year and there is a little profit that cannot compare to the input in farming, says coffee growers of Rutsiro District.

Coffee growers attending their produce

Many sectors of Rutsiro district neighbours Lake Kivu that is especially popular for productive coffee. The residents of sectors of Mushubati, Gihango, Musasa, Boneza, Mushonyi, Kigeyo and Kivumu sectors usually invest in the growing of coffee and have 8 agriculture stations.
Usually farmers harvest coffee beans and sell them to these stations and get paid for the harvest they provide. Farmers are not content with the price they are being offered for their coffee beans in this year 2013 which considerably low compared to the last years.
Faustin Hakizimana coffee growers who resides in Boneza sector in Rutsiro district says last year they sold a kilogram of coffee beans between Rwf250-Rwf300 but now they sell a kilogram of coffee beans at Rwf150.
“This amount is very little to a farmer considering the time spent growing coffee, buying fertilisers and manure to fertilise it and also harvesting it, it is a waste.”
Farmers in these sectors use much energy growing coffee and take much time to take care of it so as to have much harvest. With this little price they are getting no matter the strength and time they wasted, it is discouraging as they will not get the expected profit to keep on farming.
Boniflida Mukamugesera an old lady that grows coffee says that she always able to buy food to support her family with good price from coffee but this year is very disappointing. “I had taken charge of a young girl to support and it was possible with good price from coffee but now it is not going to be possible.”
The district management says they are well aware of this issue but the price trend is set by the prices at the international market of how coffee is also sold. Gaspard Byukusenge the mayor of Rutsiro district says coffee is a crop that determines the economy of the country so its price cannot be set by farmers on their own.
“The way the price of coffee increases or decreases depends on how coffee is sold at the international market. Any change at the international market automatically affects farmers” says the mayor.
The continuous change of the coffee price has always confused farmers, like 2012 the price was good and it encouraged farmers to grow more coffee which increased the produce in 2013 and then the prices depreciated. This might discourage farmers from farming which might reduce the production for the next period.