A multimillion Busia agro-procesing facility risks shutting down as plant heads decry shortage of maize grain production in the district.
According to the facility managers, they can only realize 500 matric tons of maize grains of the required 3,000 matric tons.
In July last year, the facility located in Solo “A” cell in Busia municipality was handed over to Rwahi investments Ltd to add value to cereal products such as maize and millet for better marketing.
By the time of handover, it was expected that local farmers within the boarder district of Busia would take advantage of the facility in order to reap big from their sweat.
However this has not happened.
In six months of operation, the value addition plant owners still incur costs of traveling to distant places to look for maize grains, after the district farmers failed to own the facility.
“We don’t feel comfortable going to far districts looking for maize grains yet it’s something we can get within the district if farmers here get serious with agriculture , “Denis Olupot ,the Managing Director Rwahi Investments Ltd said.
Busia district production officer Patrick Baraza says the district farmers have just got nothing to sell to the facility.
“From the testimony of the farmers, production per acre is as low as four bags which is very small. We want to set up a demonstration to show them that actually they can produce more than 10 bags per acre. That’s the conversation we want other partners to join us to make them to learn,” Dr. Baraza said.
To keep the machines running, the plant requires about 18,000 metric tons of maize grains annually yet they can only afford 500 metric tons at the moment.
“If they produce more, it will help both of us as the company will reduce on costs of transportation of raw materials from distant places to the meal. Also, they will take advantage of the already available market with us,”Olupot added.
Busia Agro-processing facility is capable of producing over 50tons of maize flour and over 36 tons of animal feeds daily but this hasn’t been achieved due to low production of maize grains in the district.
