THE Tanzania Coffee Board (TCB) has announced coffee producers who will represent Tanzania in at the upcoming international conference and exhibition on fine coffee in Africa, set to take place in February next year, in Dar es Salaam.

The conference involving 55 coffee-producing nations across Africa is organised under the African Fine Coffee Association (AFCA) and will be held from February 26 to 28.

Speaking at the weekend here, during the ceremony to present trophies and certificates to the winners of the Fine Coffee Competition 2024, the acting Director General of TCB, Kajiru Kisenge, said: “Today we witness the great work done by our farmers and coffee producers in the country.”

He said: “On behalf of TCB, who organised this competition in collaboration with AFCA, we offer heartfelt congratulations to everyone who participated by submitting samples. The winners, our coffee producers, have shown commitment, innovation, patience, and have consistently fulfilled their responsibility to produce high-quality coffee.”

He said the competitions have also provided an opportunity to showcase the quality of our coffee and take it to the international market. 

“The holding of these competitions is a way to position our coffee for international competitions that will take place early next year.”

Grace Mukayisenga from Rwanda, Chief Judge of the competition, noted that the competition involved a group of robusta coffee, predominantly grown in the Kagera Region, and natural arabica (hard arabica), which undergoes minimal or no water usage at the initial processing stage by the farmer.

Another category included washed Arabica coffee (soft coffee), which involves water in its initial preparation stage, performed at the farmer’s level during washing and fermentation.

The winners in the Natural Robusta category were: First: Ubumwe Company Ltd (Ngara, Kagera) second: Karagwe Estate (Kagera) and third: Karagwe District Co-Operative Union Ltd (Kagera)

In the Arabica Naturals category, the winners were: First one was Mara Farmers (Mara), second: Burka Coffee Estate (Arusha) and third: Finagro Plantations (Arusha)

In the Washed Arabica category, the winners were: First: Finagro Plantations (Arusha), second: Amkeni Gourmet Coffee Group (Kilimanjaro), third: Mwika North East Amcos (Kilimanjaro).

One of the winners, Jasson Mpita, the chairman of the Board of Directors of Ubumwe Ltd, expressed gratitude to TCB management, who have been key advisors in the entire process, enabling farmers to see their positions in the entire value chain of the coffee industry.

He advised TCB to continue creating an environment that encourages farmers to embrace coffee production  and cultivate it profitably.