By Denis Okot
Vice President Jessica Alupo has met with a team from the Uganda Development Corporation who called on her to brief her on
the work they are doing as Uganda journeys into the middle income status.
The team-led by their Executive Director Patrick B. Birungi briefed the Vice President on the various investment projects they have undertaken since the corporation was re activated in 2019. The Vice President noted that Uganda’s journey to further its development
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agenda is boosted by the work of the Uganda Development Corporation, as Uganda continues the path of industrialization and economic development.
The Chief Executive briefed the Vice President on a few main areas of the Soroti fruit factory, the Cassava project in Northern Uganda and
the Potato processing factory in Kigezi. The Corporation has several other investment undertakings like the Mabale tea growers in
Kyenjojo, Mpanga growers in Kabarole, Mutuma commercial agencies that produces high quality cotton in Luuka and adds value to most of its products, Bukono Agro processors in Nwoya district which manufactures ethanol with a processing capacity of over 40.000 litres per day.
On the Soroti fruit factory commissioned in 2019, Birungi highlighted several expansion schedules that will grow the capacity of the factory.
“We are expanding the factory to handle more farmers’ produce and grow the market supply for produce concentrates”, citing some of the biggest markets for these”-Riham and Britannia.
The ED added that there is a growing market for orange products in Kenya. UDC has
expanded the capacity of the mango processing line at the factory from two metric tonnes to six metric tonnes. This intervention will go a long way in helping farmers who were shaken by the previously smaller capacity, hence low demand for their produce.
On the cocoa factory in Bundibugyo, the ED told the Vice President that with recommendations for full value chain, a thorough feasibility study was done and construction is due to start. This he said, had been prioritized for the next financial year.
On the cassava processing plant which started under the stewardship of Archbishop Odama of Catholic Diocese of Gulu, the ED said a lot of progress had been made and would be a game
changer in the development of Northern Uganda in addressing not just food security, but also through commercial farming. The factory is consumes 400 tons of fresh cassava daily, with end products used for starch and ethanol. He also made reference to the Karamoja
Intergraded Cement, lime and marble processing plant that will process clinker, a very important ingredient of cement manufacturing.
