Cup of excellence award winning coffee auctioned for high prices

NAEB Awards the 2013 Cup of Excellence award

This year’s event saw over 100 farmers take part in the competition of which only 15 lots were picked from a possible 159 for the prestigious competition. On Tuesday, the winning coffees were auctioned off to the highest Internet bidder.

Engineer Eric Ruganintwali, the director of quality control, inspection and standards compliance unit at NAEB, told the Rwanda Focus that the auction, held by the Alliance for Coffee Excellence, attracts over 80 companies from across the world, all bidding for the Cup of Excellence coffee.

Every year, Rwanda organizes Cup of Excellence competitions and awards the winners for the best coffees. This competition encourages quality production and attracts bigger markets for Rwandan coffee from across the world, increasing revenue. The winning coffees are chosen by a group of national and international cuppers and are cupped at least five times during the competition process.

This year, they were 14 national cuppers and 24 international cuppers from 12 countries, as highlighted by Sherry Johns of Alliance for Coffee Excellence at the same time the head judge for the completion.

The competition for the best coffee started several months ago, with the national cuppers selecting the first bunch of high quality coffees before submitting them to the group of international cuppers for further scrutiny. At the end, only 15 out of 159 lots entered the competition and won prizes during the award ceremony in Huye district.

The overall winner was Gishugi Caferwa coffee washing station from Shangi sector of Nyamasheke district in Western province. Shangi received a score of 91.09 percent and was awarded a prestigious presidential award. Other coffee stations that scored well include NMC Mibilizi and Gisuma coffee from Rusizi, Rwashosco Muganza coffee and Rwashosco Maraba coffee from Huye district. Six lots out of 15 that entered the competition were from Huye district.

The winner of the first prize said the award gives him the courage and determination to continue ensuring the best quality of coffee. He further said that he got this award because he listened and followed agronomic practices and advice from experts.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Acting Director General of NAEB, Mr. Ntakirutimana Corneille, said that the Cup of Excellence requires strict observation and rules along the whole process, right from the sample handling to the final exercise of cupping. He also said that awarding the farmers is a way of recognizing the farmers for their great work in upholding the quality of Rwandan coffee.

The most important benefit for the best coffee is the increase of revenue. The best coffees are sold to the highest bidder in the Internet auction and the largest percentage of sales goes to the farmer, as a way of motivation as well as improving their welfare.

The Cup of Excellence was sponsored by several different companies including; BRD, Bourboun Coffee, SNV, and CEPAR.

Gishugi CAFERWA – CWS – Shangi was the winning farm with the highest bid at $20.8 USD per pound (or 0.45 kilograms) with a total value of $32,219. N.C.M.C Mibirizi-CWS farm came second, who’s coffee sold for $15.55 per pound for a total value of $28,954. Initial bidding for each pound of coffee started at $4, which is the international standard.

“The money from the auction goes back to the farmers in a way to encourage more quality coffee from them,” Ruganintwali said.

“Events like these help to improve the standard of living of farmers and shows us that the government cares for us,” Noted Damian Nkurunziza, a farmer whose coffee was up for auction.

Despite price fluctuations of coffee on the world market, the Cup of Excellence coffee continued to grow, as it saw entrants both by local farmers and international bidders grow this year.