The Teso sub-region is abuzz with excitement following the commencement of local mango buying and processing by Soroti Fruit Factory, a development hailed as a major step toward improving the livelihoods of farmers in the area.
For the first time, hundreds of mango farmers across Teso are selling their fruit directly to the factory, which has officially launched the processing of indigenous mangoes grown in the region.
Abera Desta Hailu, the Factory Director, confirmed the new development, noting that the factory has already begun crushing locally sourced mangoes.
“Our capacity has doubled compared to last year. In 2024, we handled about 1,000 metric tons, but this year we are processing significantly more,” he said.
“This company was established to change the livelihoods of farmers, and we are working closely with them to improve both the quality and quantity of mangoes supplied.”
Abera attributed the progress to improved coordination between the local farmers, factory management, and Chemaque Agro-Liquid Management, the new leadership overseeing the operations.
“There have been general improvements in the reception of produce, factory capacity, and overall productivity,” he added.
Juliou Ekom, the Factory Manager, who has been in the field monitoring the procurement, said they had already bought about 50 tons of mangoes within the first week.
“This is the second round of buying, and we are targeting 150 tons initially. This move fulfills the pledge we made to the farmers last year that we would begin buying local mangoes,” Ekom said.
Ekom noted that the factory is buying mangoes at shs300 per kilogram, a rate that directly benefits the farmers.
“We are injecting about 45 to 50 million shillings into the community through this initial procurement. Once testing of the process is cleared, we plan to scale up and inject even more money into the local economy,” he emphasized.
However, challenges remain.
“Some farmers are unable to deliver the full tonnage stated in their Local Purchase Orders (LPOs). For example, some were expected to deliver 10 tons but could only bring three or five. We understand the constraints and are issuing more LPOs to other farmers to meet our processing targets,” he said.
Ekom encouraged the public to support the factory by consuming its products. “This juice is made from our own mangoes. When you buy it, you are supporting our farmers and keeping the money circulating in our communities.”
Among the early beneficiaries is Mzee Simon Obwolot from Dakabela soroti , a local farmer and Lawrence Emoit from Awaliwal Gweri who expressed joy and disbelief at the opportunity to earn from mangoes. “I have never seen this before. This is the first time our village is seeing such activity. In the past, mangoes just fell and rotted. We didn’t even dream of selling them. But now, I’m going to preserve them and sell more,” he said with a smile.
The initiative has ignited hope across Teso, offering farmers a new stream of income while promoting agro-industrialization in the region. With the factory now fully operational, the community is optimistic that the mango processing drive will become a permanent and profitable fixture in their lives.