Plans afoot to set up a Sh80 million mango processing plant in Uasin Gishu




Horticulture farmers in Kerio Valley will benefit from a Sh80 million mango processing plant planned to motivate pastoralists in the semi-arid region to invest in fruit cultivation as an alternative source of income.
The Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA) has partnered with Dutch firm ABAC to construct the plant in Tot and save farmers from exploitation from middlemen who offer low prices.
KVDA managing director Mr David Kimosop said the Dutch firm will offer Sh60 million while the authority will finance the remaining amount with the support of the national government.
“More than 40 per cent of mangoes produced in the region go to waste due to lack of market while middlemen offer low prices. But his will be a thing of the past once the factory is set up,” Mr Kimosop told Sunday Nation.
IRRIGATION
The construction of the plant is expected to commence in the next six months following the signing of a contract between KVDA and the Dutch firm.
The farmers in the region grow mangoes, bananas, paw paw, passion and watermelon among others under furrow irrigation scheme shared among members of the Pokot, Turkana and Marakwet pastoral communities, long term foes now turn business partners.
Sh16 billion was set aside for irrigation in the last budget to make agriculture a commercial venture and attain food security especially in semi-arid areas.
More emphasis is on drip irrigation since it has proved to be more efficient and economical.
The region currently produces an average 25,000 tonnes of mangoes annually but plans are on by KVDA to increase capacity tenfold.
“Intensified seed multiplication is on to increase mango trees from 60,000 to more than 1 million in the next few years and train farmers on modern horticultural production techniques,” disclosed Mr Kimosop.
“Organic mango juice is to be extracted from the fruit pulp which can be used as a flavour for ice-cream or even yorghurt,” explained Mr Kimosop adding that target market is Netherlands and the entire Europe.
KVDA also plans to encourage farmers to form cooperative movements and sign contracts with the processing firm as out-growers and eventually shareholders in the project.

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