The Coffee Industry Corporation’s Industry Regulations and Compliance unit (IR&C) has successfully issued a total of 116 coffee dealers’ licenses for operation in 2016 calendar year.
The CIC through its licensing process aims to provide standards and discipline into the conduct of industry players, ensuring acceptable standard of farms inputs, factory equipment, mills and processing plants is maintained to produce quality coffee desired by buyers consistently.
There are four different categories of licensing in CIC under the function of IR&C that is normally licensed to all operators throughout the country.
They are - Exports, Manufacturing, Processing (Wet & Dry) and a permit to build a factory.
Licensing is done in according to CIC’s License Policy Guideline provision in the CIC Act 1991.The process of licensing involves formal submission of application by New, Dormant and Existing Coffee Trader as per the license guideline for annual renewal assessment from November to December every year. A second call is also allowed between Januarys to March for late application with a penalty fee of K1000.00 on every license that will be issued.
Coffee inspectors screen the written license application prior to physically auditing the document prescribed at strategic location for conformity against the license policy guidelines. After careful assessment, the data is formulated into a written license submission for CIC Boards’ approval and endorsement whether to deny or grant license for operation.
According to Michael Waim, Manager for IRC, there are two major assessments conducted on license policy guideline every year.
One is done in the mid- year to ensure licensed coffee traders are operating within the licensing guidelines and another is done at the end of the year to review licensed operators as well as new and dormant traders who then re-apply for the new year’s operations.
Apart from these two assessments, coffee inspectors maintain surveillance and monitor coffee traders on daily routines of inspection ensuring CIC regulations and policy guidelines is complied forthwith.
“So far CIC has given out a total of 116 licences to coffee operators throughout the country for the 2016 coffee year compared to 128 licences in 2015,” said Mr Waim.
According to the current licensed operators, there are 9 Manufacturers, 20 Exporters, 51 Dry Processors, 30 Wet Processors, and 6 Permit to Build.
The role of the IR&C is critical in ensuring that coffee traders conduct business in accordance to CIC Set Policy Guidelines, exporting quality coffee consistently with the aim of maximising returns for the hard working coffee farmer without fear or favour.