Bwijanga Coffee Farmers’ Cooperative Society launches saving scheme
Members of Bwijanga Coffee Farmers’ Cooperative Society in Bwijanga Sub County, Masindi, have launched a saving scheme which they hope will help them to boost their income.
Speaking at the scheme’s launch, Benedicto Ssensaga, the cooperative’s Chairperson, revealed that the objective of starting a saving scheme is to improve members’ economic status.
“We have started this saving scheme to enable us improve on our economic status. I am hopeful that if all the society’s members can embrace saving, we will be liberated from poverty,” stressed Ssensaga.
The launch was held on Tuesday in Kikigura village in Bwijanga Sub County.
Bwijanga Coffee Farmers’ Cooperative Society has 947 members who each resolved to save a minimum of Shs 10,000 every month.
The Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA)’s Coordinator in charge of coffee in Masindi, Bulisa and Kiryandongo, Julius Twine, took the opportunity to warn traders from outside the region against illegally buying coffee in the area.
“Coffee traders come from outside the region and buy coffee without a coffee trading certificate, which is not acceptable. Such traders even engage in evil acts like harvesting immature coffee and drying it in improper ways, which lowers its quality,” Twine said.
He vowed that traders found engaging in such acts will be dealt with in line with the law.
Twine explained that traders are supposed to obtain a coffee trading license at a fee of Shs 50,000 before they can buy coffee in the region, adding that traders who engage in acts that compromise coffee quality face a fine of one million shillings, or 3 months’ imprisonment.
Buy your copy of thecooperator magazine from one of our country- wide vending points or an e-copy on emag.thecooperator.news
