K10mil price support will maintain coffee quality

THE K10 million put towards price support for coffee would ensure quality is still being maintained, says Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC) general manager Steven Tumae.
Tumae said despite the challenges of the Covid-19 and associated impacts, the industry had been trying to ensure that quality coffee was sold to the market.
“The Government has given us K10 million (which) we want to use to improve the quality of coffee,” he said.
“Some of the criteria we have set is for the A grade parchment will get the price support.
“That will discourage people from selling low quality coffee.”
Tumae said expected revenue from coffee last year would be less due to the Covid-19 impacts.
“The foreign exchange that we bring into the country is between K400 million and K500 million every year from coffee exports alone,” he said.
“A lot of coffee was not exported due to the lockdowns in the domestic and international borders.”
Meanwhile, Tumae said the coffee price on the international market was competitive. However, a few of the local coffee exporters have done well in producing quality coffee for the international market.
“They are getting money from there, they are paying very high prices for premium, high quality coffee,” he said.
“They are exporting to Germany, Japan, Korea and the Chinese market. The Asian markets are opening up. Rich people want to drink quality coffee.
“The Australian and European markets are there but they are controlled by major coffee companies renowned worldwide.”