Uganda Luwenzori Coffee Farmers Cooperative introduces Uganda Luwenzo Coffee

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Ruwenzori Coffee Cooperative

Rwenzori Farmers Cooperative Union (RFCU) is an umbrella cooperative that produces fair trade vanilla, fair trade cocoa and naturally processed fair trade Arabica coffee in the Rwenzori mountains of western Uganda. RFCU started as a vanilla association in 2005 and then registered as an alliance of 13 major partner associations in 2014 (now 16). Most members grow at least two of the three crops to diversify their income. RFCU members select coffee from 1000-2500 masl, operate in five regions of the Rwenzori region, have three miniature drying stations, and are eager to learn more about agricultural practices to find a market for traceable, certified, high-quality Arabica coffee.

In Uganda, many natural Arabica coffee is called DRUGAR (dry Ugandan Arabica coffee). Cherries are picked, dried on the ground and sold to local buyers for mass processing. RFCU is trying to change that by providing pruning tools for members, drying cherries on high beds and trying to get pre-harvest financing to bring products to market. The farm covers an average area of 1-2 acres, mainly growing SL14 and SL28 varieties. At the cooperative's three miniature washing stations, cherries float in fresh water, floats / immature cherries are removed, and ripe cherries are sent to the sorting table. The cherries are sorted and stirred continuously on a raised seedbed for about two weeks until the moisture reaches 12-12.5%, and then taken to a dry mill to be shelled, graded and sorted.

When Atlas visited us in January 2019, we were encouraged by the team's quality and hard work with limited resources, and were excited to import their first cup of coffee to the North American market, which is expected to arrive in early 2020.

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