KAKUMIRO – President Yoweri Museveni has said his government plans to build mini-industrial zones in every sub-county as an epicenter of development in the country.
Speaking in Kakumiro District at the weekend, the President said instead of people in rural areas travelling to Kampala and other urban areas to purchase products, they will be made by factories in sub-counties.
“We want these rural sub-counties to become mini- industrial zones,” Mr. Museveni said shortly after commissioning a coffee factory in Kikwaya trading centre.
He said he observed the need to set up a milling plant for maize and cassava that can produce flour, starch, animal and poultry feeds. He said sub-counties, where fruits are grown, will get fruit processing factories that can produce juice.
Instead of people in rural areas traveling to Kampala and other urban areas to purchase furniture, such products will be made by factories in their home areas.
However, the President expressed concern over the poor quality of coffee which is being caused by farmers harvesting immature coffee. Harvesting of immature coffee has led to the production of poor quality processed coffee which is tainting Uganda’s image on the international market, he said.
‘‘I have seen the coffee but it is not of good quality because you are harvesting immature coffee and the factory people should reject unready coffee. It is killing our image on the international market. Harvesting unready or immature coffee is illegal,’’ Mr. Museveni said.
Mr. Museveni summoned the Kakumiro District production officer, Mr. Stephen Serumaga, to explain why farmers are harvesting immature coffee.
Mr. Serumaga said the district, with the Uganda Coffee Development Authority, is sensitizing farmers on coffee quality assurance, harvesting, and post-harvest management.
‘‘We have been sensitizing people through UCDA by visiting stores and farmers on ensuring the quality of coffee. Through the single spine system of agriculture extension we have already started moving through all sub-counties to sensitize the farmers’’ Mr. Serumaga said.
Dr. Kasirivu Atwooki, the minister of State for Economic Monitoring who is also the Bugangaizi West MP, commended the President for supporting the coffee factory.
He said government through the Luweero Triangle project has given out millions of coffee seedlings to farmers which will support the factory.
Mr. Museveni, who also inspected several projects including a piggery project of Mr.Karoli Kamanyire, the Kakumiro district councilor for the elderly, challenged Ugandans to engage in productive agriculture activities to develop.
