Soroti Fruit Factory Shutdown Leaves Teso Orange Farmers at the Mercy of Middlemen

Citrus farmers in Uganda’s Teso Sub-region are facing a difficult season as farm gate prices plummet following the temporary suspension of operations at the Soroti Fruit Factory. The facility halted its fruit purchasing and processing activities to facilitate ongoing construction and plant expansion work, which is expected to be completed by June 2027.

Felix Angeki, the factory’s quality assurance officer, explained that the temporary shutdown is necessary to prevent any potential contamination of juice from dust and germs originating at the adjacent construction site. Once finished, the upgraded complex will house new processing machinery designed to more than double the facility’s current capacity, which stands at six metric tonnes of oranges and two metric tonnes of mangoes per hour.

However, the immediate impact on local producers has been severe. Jorem Opian Obicho, a board member representing farmers under the Teso Tropical Fruits Cooperative Union, noted that more than 6,000 registered farmers across 61 primary cooperative societies produce an average of 500,000 tonnes of oranges annually. With the factory doors closed, producers are left vulnerable to exploitative middlemen who purchase a 100-kilogramme bag for as little as Shs15,000 to Shs30,000.

Farmers like Grace Ajalo from Gweri Sub-county expressed frustration, noting that even before the expansion, the factory absorbed only a fraction of their harvests, leading many to watch their fruits rot or sell cheaply to Kenyan traders. Some frustrated farmers have even resorted to cutting down their citrus orchards.

Management of the plant was handed over in July 2024 to Kimaki, an Ethiopian investor firm affiliated with former First Lady Mesfin Zenawi. State Minister for Teso Affairs Clement Kenneth Obote Ongalo urged farmers to remain calm and positive, assuring them that the long-overdue expansion and newly secured external markets will ultimately transform the region’s citrus industry. Read more details about this development on the Daily Monitor.