The planned opening of a pineapple processing factory in Busaale Village, Kayunga Sub-county, Kayunga District, has been delayed for over a year due to disputes over its ownership. The factory, which was originally scheduled to open late last year, remains closed, leaving local farmers to bear the losses.
Michael Shuwu, the value chain development officer at the National Agricultural Advisory Services (Naads), explained that they are currently working to resolve pending issues related to the factory. While not specifying the nature of these issues, Shuwu expressed optimism that the factory would be opened in December once the matters are resolved.
Pastor Yosiya Mubiru from Entebbe Miracle Centre is collaborating with Naads to address management concerns regarding the factory. They aim to ensure a solid foundation before starting operations.
However, Dr. David Mugabi, the Kayunga District production officer, raised questions about the ownership and management of the factory. He emphasized the need for clarity on whether it would be operated as a cooperative or a privately-owned entity. Dr. Mugabi highlighted that farmers must have a say in the pineapple processing venture for it to succeed.
The factory was constructed by the government through Naads, fulfilling a presidential pledge to Pastors Yosiya Mubiru and Pr. Aaron Mutebi of Entebbe Miracle Centre. Their vision was to assist fruit farmers in Kayunga and neighboring districts engaged in pineapple cultivation to add value to their produce.
Nevertheless, disputes over ownership have arisen among Pr. Mutebi, Sem Agrotech, Naads, and members of the Kayunga District Pineapple Farmers’ Cooperative Society, who are partners in the joint venture. Members of Parliament on the Agriculture committee also questioned the factory’s ownership during an inspection visit earlier this year when they discovered that the land it was built on did not belong to the government.
Local pineapple farmers expressed frustration due to the prolonged delay in the factory’s opening, resulting in losses. Farmers like Sam Kitaka and Moses Kakande hope that the operational factory will provide storage facilities for their pineapples and enable them to secure better prices. Currently, they sell their fruit to traders from Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan, and within Uganda.
In addition to ownership disputes, some leaders in Kayunga District have questioned the factory’s location in Busaale, arguing that it would have been more suitable in Kangulumira Sub-county, where the majority of pineapple farmers are based.
The factory, equipped by Musa Body Machinery Uganda Ltd, has the capacity to process five tonnes of fresh pineapple daily.
I think this was a dead deal miscalculated to the government by the opportunitists. Some people don’t mind whether the state makes a loss of the 2.5b as long as they get 100M commission benefits.
The alternative would be, since the government has already constructed the facility, let go a head and buy that land so as to have full ownership and then decide the management from the stake holders. Or if not get get another land and do reconstruction but this time after a careful pilot study.