KISORO, UGANDA – The price of tea in Uganda’s Kisoro District has skyrocketed from UGX 300 to UGX 120,000 per kilogram, a surge largely driven by European Union countries purchasing directly from local farmers.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!This dramatic price surge was announced by the Bufumbira North Member of Parliament, Hon. Kamara John Nizeyimana, while addressing the media over the weekend at his business centre in Kumudege.
Hon. Nizeyimana confirmed he first introduced the idea of tea cultivation to the region; while many residents embraced it and started cultivation, others were not very interested at first.
He explained that plans for a local tea factory had previously failed because a price crash from UGX 600 to UGX 300 per kilogram discouraged both investors and farmers.
However, the MP revealed that through ongoing talks with international partners, especially from the EU, buyers have now returned and are offering an attractive price of UGX 120,000 per kilogram.
The legislator further urged farmers across the district to embrace the practice of growing tea, promoting it as a powerful strategy to fight poverty and increase household income.
“I am the one who introduced tea in the constituencies of Bufumbira North and Bukimbiri County. I call upon residents across the district to take part in tea cultivation as a strategy to fight poverty and boost household incomes,” MP Nizeyimana stated.
Cue in: MP Nizeyimana on Prices. RR
Meanwhile, tea farmers, especially members of the Kisoro Women in Tea Association, report they have already started earning more and are committed to maintaining their plantations for timely supply.
They also shared that special training taught them to identify and pick the exact parts of the tea plant that European buyers want, knowledge they believe will help maintain high quality.
The farmers hope to use their new earnings to pay their children’s school fees and improve their living conditions, while also thanking Hon. Kamara for the life-changing initiative.
“We underwent training to identify the specific parts of the tea plants. This knowledge will help us sustain quality, pay school fees for our children, and improve our home standards,” the farmers confirmed.
Cue in: Farmers vox pop RR
The dramatic price change brings new hope to farmers who had previously considered uprooting their tea plantations due to low prices, showing how connecting local farmers directly to international markets can create a brighter economic future.
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