Tree dealers asked to join co-operatives to widen income.

Rukungiri: The chairperson of the Rukungiri Tree Growers and Timber Traders Cooperative Society Innocent Ninsiima has called upon tree growers and timber traders to join their cooperative as a way of ensuring  value addition to their products.

Speaking to our reporter on Thursday July 25, 2024 shortly after the association meeting at cooperative offices in Kagogo Ward, Western Division in Rukungiri Municipality, Ninsiima highlighted that the cooperative has constructed offices equipped with modern machinery, including a wood dryer and molding machines, to assist in furniture production.

Ninsiima also expressed gratitude to the Rukungiri district for providing 1 acre of land for their operations.

Arthur Twinomujuni, the Rukungiri district Senior Forestry Officer, explained that tree growers have historically suffered losses when middlemen buy their trees cheaply and sell them as finished timber at higher prices. 

Canon Wycliffe Makky Twinomujuni, headteacher of Kashenyi Secondary School who is a cooperative member, encouraged public participation, praising the cooperative’s vision and goals. He noted the cooperative’s role in providing free trees, generating household income, and promoting environmental conservation. 

The cooperative currently has 128 active members, with plans to reach the take-off stage by 2025, where members can start earning from the society’s machines and work on-site.