Soroti Fruit Factory Closure Leaves Teso Orange Farmers at Mercy of Middlemen

Citrus farmers across the Teso Sub-region are facing severe financial strain due to plunging farm gate prices for their oranges, triggered by the temporary suspension of operations at the Soroti Fruit Factory. Management halted fruit procurement and processing to prevent potential contamination from ongoing construction work adjacent to the plant as part of a major facility expansion.

Felix Angeki, the factory’s quality assurance officer, explained that the temporary closure is necessary while a new complex is built to house additional machinery. The upgrade, slated for completion by June 2027, aims to more than double the facility’s current processing capacity of six metric tonnes of oranges and two metric tonnes of mangoes per hour.

Jorem Opian Obicho, a board member representing farmers under the Teso Tropical Fruits Cooperative Union (TEFCU), stated that while the factory previously could not absorb all harvests, its presence helped stabilize market pressure. With operations paused, more than 6,000 registered farmers across 61 primary cooperative societies—collectively producing around 500,000 tonnes of oranges annually—are left vulnerable. Desperate farmers are now forced to sell a 100-kilogramme bag of oranges to exploitative middlemen for as low as Shs15,000 to Shs30,000, well below previous cooperative prices.

Local farmers, including Grace Ajalo from Gweri Sub-county, expressed frustration that the plant’s initial promise has yet to be fully realized, noting that many producers previously suffered heavy losses from rotting fruit or cheap sales to Kenyan buyers. Management of the factory was handed over in July 2024 to Kimaki, an Ethiopian investor firm tied to former first lady Mesfin Zenawi, which is overseeing the current upgrade.

Despite current hardships, leaders remain optimistic. Minister of State for Teso Affairs Clement Kenneth Obote Ongalo emphasized that the expansion is long overdue and essential for turning around the regional citrus industry, assuring farmers of the government’s continued commitment.

Read more about this development in the Daily Monitor report.