Government unveils $30m plan to expand and modernise Soroti Fruit Factory

The Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury (PSST), Ramathan Ggoobi, has announced that government is set to embark on a major expansion and modernisation of Soroti Fruit Factory, in partnership with a management firm from Ethiopia.

Mr Ggoobi said the upgrade—estimated to cost USD 30 million—will introduce advanced processing technology and significantly increase the factory’s production capacity. Construction is expected to take two years once works begin.

He made the remarks on Monday during an assessment tour of Soroti Fruits Ltd, undertaken on the directive of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. The PSST was accompanied by Trade ministry Permanent Secretary Lynette Bagonza, Finance ministry Director for Economic Affairs Moses Kaggwa, and senior technical officials from both ministries.

Mr Ggoobi said the factory is already reshaping the economic fortunes of Teso Sub-region by creating a reliable market for farmers and supporting agro-industrialisation.
“The factory is changing the destiny of the region in terms of processing and adding value,” he said. He also praised the Ethiopian partners for “managing the factory more effectively and transforming it to become more successful.”

The upcoming expansion will introduce an automatic bottling and packaging line, multi-fruit processing units to handle a wider variety of produce, and facilities for organic fertilizer and animal feed production—a move officials say will reduce waste and boost the plant’s profitability.

TsegaMariam Tesfaye, the Chief Commercial Officer of Soroti Fruits Ltd, expressed gratitude to President Museveni and the Government of Uganda for the continued support.
“We appreciate the opportunity to work together to industrialise and transform the region,” she said.

The new investment is expected to increase the factory’s capacity, expand regional market access, and strengthen Uganda’s drive toward value addition in the agricultural sector.