The Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Francis Mwebesa has issued a stern warning to all tea farmers in Uganda urging them to refrain from uprooting their tea gardens in protest of the frustratingly low prices of tea.

Mwebesa made these remarks while appearing before the Tourism, Trade and Industry Committee of Parliament chaired by the deputy chairperson Boniface Okot as they scrutinize a petition from Ugandan tea farmers who are seeking Government intervention to boost the struggling tea sector.

Mwebesa says that tea farmers should not dare uproot their tea gardens as the Government is working to establish a better market for tea in Uganda by negotiating with international tea dealers to secure better prices for local farmers.

Mwebesa attributed the current price challenges to the Mombasa tea market, where Ugandan tea is often graded as inferior. 

Apparently the tea sector is a vital part of Uganda’s economy, employing around 150,000 skilled and unskilled workers, and supporting approximately 80,000 farming households.

By Francis Lubega

3 Dec 2024

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