By Emmanuel Eumu.
The government has finally accepted defeat on running the Teso Fruit Factory and now at the helm of handing the company to private hands.
Soroti Fruit Factory was established as part of the Government plans to improve on the production of citrus fruits in Teso Sub – Region. This website has learnt that the Government is considering privatizing the factory.
According to unrevealed sources key among the contenders to win the deal include the former Ethiopian first lady Azeb Mesfin Zenawi.
We have learnt according to plan that the investor will be given a task to buy mainly fruits from Teso and will also be mandated to bring in new machines.
The sources reveal that president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is not pleased at all with the operations of Soroti Fruit Factory since it’s inception in April 13, 2019.
During the President’s recent visit to Teso, particularly Katakwi district, expressed disappointment with Teso leaders who did not explain to him why farmers in Teso are continuously cutting down citrus trees.
This made him to direct the prime minister Robbinah Nabbanja who has since given the Teso Affairs Minister Kenneth Clement Ongalo to steer the privatization process, the other Minister’s include Evelyn Anite and David Bahati who have been co-opted to help in delivering the process.
While recently interacting with Teso District LCV chairpersons, Ongalo confirmed the government’s plan noting that the president is optimistic that the private investor will help to buy more fruits from Teso to accelerate poverty eradication in the region.
According to minister Ongalo, soroti fruit factory is on life support as a result of many failures including weak farmer cooperative union and stiff competition from cheap imported concentrates and ready to drink juice.
He has now appealed to the government to provide working capital to innovate high quality products out of oranges that the market research could reveal as more desired than the existing ones.
