GATSIBO – A Pepper growers’ cooperative in Rugarama sector, Gatsibo District, is stuck with tonnes of their produce after failing to secure market.According to the farmers, they grew a lot of pepper in the previous season which they have since failed to sell.Members of Hirwamuhinzi Pepper Cooperative told The New Times that they were promised market by a local firm, Flamingo, which was represented by one Eldard Mugisha and another person only identified as Uwineza. The New Times was unable to establish whether the alleged Flamingo firm actually exists or it’s a hoax. According to Nicholas Nzitabakozi, a member of the cooperative, the two ‘potential’ buyers, underpaid them and finally started dodging them."It is beyond imagination; for a businessperson to cheat poor farmers...their contract was a sham,” he said."We are set to lose over three tonnes of pepper. The Rwf300 per kilogramme Uwineza gave us, itself was cheating; in Kigali a kilogramme goes for Rwf 1500,” he said.Havina Mukamusoni, another farmer, lamented that she abandoned all other activities including cattle raring for pepper growing after they were promised of market for pepper.The woman, who was with several others standing before rotting heaps of pepper in Kabarore town, said the farmers’ financial situation was in jeopardy.She said she had invested Rwf70, 000 in pesticides alone, adding that buyers initially gave them pesticides but stopped at some point."We have supplied tonnes and tonnes without pay...we produce five tonnes per week and we don’t see these buyers. She (Uwineza) lied to us and led us to incur huge losses”.Francois Munyandekwe, the coordinator of Public Sector Federation (PSF) in Gatsibo District, said that Uwineza and Eldard Mugisha should be stopped from dealing with the farmers forthwith.He said that PSF was going to start advocacy and campaign to stop farmers’ exploitation."I mean this is unacceptable...they claim to be the rightful buyers of the pepper, yet they never signed a contract with the farmers. It is lamentable that farmers are tricked and cheated in our presence,” he said.When contacted for comment, Uwineza declined saying she doesn’t discuss her business with journalists.