UDC in partnership with the Government of South Korea (through Korea International Agency [KOICA]) and Teso Tropical Fruits Cooperative Union Limited (TEFCU) established a fruit processing factory in Soroti district. The strategic positioning of the factory was informed by the fact that Teso sub-region is a leading producer of citrus in Uganda. The Soroti Fruits Limited that was commissioned by President Y.K. Museveni in April 2019 commenced commercial operations in October 2019 adding value to local oranges and mangoes, predominantly purchased from the Eastern and Northern regions of Uganda, to produce fruit concentrates and natural ready-to-drink juices, branded “TEJU”.
The Government of Uganda through Uganda Development Corporation (UDC) holds 80% shares in Soroti Fruits Limited and Teso Tropical Fruits Cooperative Union (TEFCU) with 20% shares. TEFCU are the main suppliers of fruits to the factory.
Atiak Sugar Factory
UDC in partnership with the private sector (Horyal Investment Holding Company Ltd (HIHC) set up a sugar processing plant in Atiak, Amuru district. The Atiak Sugar Factory that was commissioned on the 22nd October 2020 by H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda has an initial production capacity of 1,650 Tons of cane crushed per day (TCD) in its first phase. As the raw material availability grows, the factory will be scale up to 3,500 TCD in phases 2 and 5,000 TCD in phase 3.
The factory which is the first large investment by Government in post-conflict Northern Uganda has provided employment to the people of Northern Uganda as well as uptake of raw material (Cane) thus improving the socio-economic livelihoods of the people. The factory produces sugar under the brand name “Atiak Sugar” which has found favorable market in most of northern Uganda and Southern Sudan. From its byproducts (molasses and bagasse), the factory is currently producing ethanol generating 6MW of electricity.
UDC holds 40% shareholding in HIHC
Bukona Agro Processors Ltd
Located in Lapem Village, Koch-Goma Sub County, Nwoya District, the Bukona Agro Processing Ltd, manufactures denatured ethanol which is a source of green fuel for cooking. The denatured ethanol is produced from cassava which is widely grown in the northern region of Uganda thus creating a ready source of livelihood for the smallholder farmers in the region.
UDC intervened in Bukona Agro Processer Ltd by providing machinery and working capital for factory operations. The factory which commenced commercial operations in May 2021, has a processing capacity of 40,000L per day of denatured ethanol.
UDC shareholding in this factory stands at 40.5%.
Mutuma Commercial Agencies
Mutuma Commercial Agencies (MCAL) located in Luuka District, Busoga Sub region is a zero-discharge factory that produces high quality absorbent cotton wool under the brand “Pearl Cotton wool”. The company that has been in operation since 1999 works with over 6,000 farmers who supply it with conventional seed cotton that it processes into hospital quality absorbent cotton wool. The company also produces cotton seed oil, cotton seed cake, soap stock and cotton husks.
UDC shareholding in this Company stands at 36%.
Kigezi Highland Tea Ltd
UDC entered a lease financing partnership with Kigezi Highland Tea Ltd for the establishment of two tea factories in South-Western Uganda. The factories located in Kabale and Kisoro districts are installed with Cut, Tear and Curl (CTC) machinery of 450 kilograms per hour production capacity.
Kigezi Highland Tea Ltd, who were already in business, constructed the factory premises while UDC provided processing equipment, generators and vehicles for transportation of raw materials and processed tea. The tea is currently being sold at the Mombasa Tea auction.
Since the factory commissioning in 2018, the company has continued to facilitate the planting of tea seedlings by farmers in areas adjacent to the two factories in Kabale and Kisoro districts.
Kayonza Growers Tea Ltd
As one of the intervention strategies aimed at increasing the competitiveness of the tea value chain in Uganda, the government of Uganda through Uganda Development Corporation invested in Kayonza Growers Tea Ltd located in Kanungu District.
UDC’s intervention was the installation of a 3rd CTC line with a capacity of 600 KG/Hr. aimed at improving the productivity and efficiency of the factory. This intervention has resulted in to increased uptake of raw materials from the tea farmers in the region.
Mpanga Growers Tea Ltd
Mpanga Growers Tea Ltd in Kabarole district was incorporated in 1995 as a public limited company owned by small holder farmers, who applied for an equity partnership with UDC in 2020. UDC recapitalized the tea factory to facilitate purchase of green leaf in order to improve capacity utilization. The factory produces black tea for export on the Mombasa tea Auction
UDC holds 31.9% shareholding in the company.
Mabale Growers Tea Ltd.
UDC invested in Mabale Growers Tea Ltd located in Kyenjojo district, Tooro sub-region. The factory involved in green leaf processing has two CTC (cut, tear and curl) lines each with a capacity of 600 kg/hr. The factory produces black tea for export on the Mombasa tea Auction.
UDC’s intervention, has helped the company significant increase uptake of green leaf (the raw material) from the tea farmers in the region.