Soroti Fruit Factory Halts Purchases Amid $21M Expansion, Farmers Concerned

The Soroti Fruit Factory is embarking on an ambitious expansion project valued at over $21 million, aimed at revolutionizing fruit processing in eastern Uganda. This initiative is set to dramatically increase production capacity, introduce processing for a wider variety of fruits beyond oranges and mangoes, and create new value chains for local farmers.

The multi-million dollar investment includes approximately $10 million for construction work on the new facility and another $11 million for state-of-the-art processing machinery being sourced from Italy. The factory anticipates completing this upgrade by June 2027, with construction slated to take around ten months.

Once operational, the modernized factory will feature a fully automated bottling line capable of producing 800 cartons per hour, a substantial leap from the current semi-automated line’s output of 200 cartons per hour. The facility will also be equipped to process multiple fruits such as pineapples, passion fruits, ginger, tamarind, mangoes, and oranges. Future plans include utilizing processing by-products for animal feed and organic fertilizer, establishing a tissue culture laboratory for quality fruit seedling production, and adding a bottled drinking water line.

However, factory management has announced a temporary suspension of fruit purchases for the duration of the construction period. This measure is attributed to food safety regulations that prohibit processing activities alongside ongoing construction. Consequently, farmers have been advised that the factory will not purchase their produce until operations resume in June 2027.

This suspension has ignited concerns among fruit growers and community leaders in the Teso sub-region, who fear significant challenges in finding alternative markets for their harvests during the extended shutdown. While acknowledging the long-term benefits of the expansion, farmer representatives have appealed for partial purchasing to continue through the construction phase and requested support in accessing quality seedlings and demonstration farms to prepare for future production demands.

Source: Nile Post