By KT Reporter
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has commissioned a US$5 million cassava processing plant by Pura Organic Agro-Tech in Kiramata village, Nabiswera Sub-county, Nakasongola District, marking a major step in Uganda’s industrial value addition drive.
The factory, with an annual production capacity of 40,000 metric tonnes of high-grade cassava starch, will serve vital sectors such as pharmaceuticals, textiles, animal feeds, packaging, and biofuel. The facility sources raw cassava from over 1,800 outgrower farmers across the country.
Speaking during the commissioning, President Museveni underlined the strategic importance of cassava starch in Uganda’s industrial development. “Cassava starch is very important. What you take as a tablet is not all medicine—it is mainly starch,” the President said.
He added, “That pharmaceutical-grade starch is crucial for making tablets. And yet companies like Quality Chemicals are still importing starch from India. We must substitute those imports.” He emphasized that using locally produced starch could significantly cut pharmaceutical production costs. “Local starch will make the tablets cheaper,” Museveni added.
“You need starch for paper, for binders, and later, even for making alcohol. You can mix it with petroleum and drive cars. So, I thank Ramesh for waking up. You Africans are sitting on wealth but are always asleep.” Ramesh Babu, the proprietor of Pura Organic Agro-Tech, highlighted the transformative journey that led to the factory’s establishment.
“When we first came to Nakasongola, our dream was to grow maize,” Babu explained. “But the region’s position in a rain shadow made that unsustainable. We adapted, experimented, and found cassava’s resilience to be the answer.” That realization birthed a new vision—not just for farming, but for industrial transformation.
“Today, this modern plant represents over $5 million in investment. We are no longer just farmers—we are part of Uganda’s industrial growth engine.” The facility is already exporting starch to Kenya and aims to expand its reach across the East African region.
Babu also praised the government for fostering a conducive environment for industrialization: “Our leadership continues to catalyse meaningful change across sectors. Without the support from President Museveni’s government, this wouldn’t have been possible.”
He applauded the outgrower model that has empowered hundreds of smallholder farmers: “We provide clean planting materials, training in good agricultural practices, and guaranteed offtake,” Babu noted. “Yields have jumped from two to as much as six tonnes per acre. These farmers are not just suppliers—they are our partners.”-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
