Soroti fruit factory fails to take off, farmers counting losses

KAYONGA PAUL

Orchard farmers in Soroti district are counting losses following the failure of the fruit factory to start operation.

The first fruit factory in Soroti Industrial park was predestined to open in 2016 prompting farmers to invest massively in the fruits.

Three years later, their efforts have yield nothing but rot.

Found in Arapai Sub-county seating on 219 acres of land- Soroti Industrial Park, the $7 million factory appears to have has at take off point.

Farmers in Teso were supposed to supply it with citrus fruit as raw material which it would process into juice.

Those who had invested in fruit farming are now counting losses as their harvest has gone to waste.

Paul Omer, the Soroti Municipality mayor said that the failure by the factory to open has crushed the hopes of so many fruit farmers.

Ronald Kigongo Akankwasa, the Productions and Technical Services manager at the facility attributed the long wait to technical services.

Despite confirmation that 90% of the factory layout is done, Akankwasa could not tell exactly when the factory will become operational.

All he said was that the factory will have the capacity to function well in the dry and wet season.