RUSIZI — Rice farmers in Bugarama Sector, Rusizi district, are advocating for an increase in rice prices. A kilo of rice goes for Rwf210. Farmers say this price is not fair due to the labor that the rice crop requires from planting to harvest. They want Rwf 250 as the minimum purchase price. “You find that farmers lose while the whole sellers make high profits from our rice,” said a member of CAVEKU Rice Farmers’ Cooperative. The farmers say rice production will never develop as a great income earner unless the prices rise. Contacted for a comment, the Bugarama Sector Executive Secretary, Egide Gatera, acknowledged that prices of rice have remained low. He, however, said local authorities plan to come up with solutions to prevent farmers from being cheated by unscrupulous traders. Bugarama has about 26,500 people whose major source of income is rice growing. Ends
