By Nicholas Anyuor

The Kenya Industrial Research Institute (Kirdi) is building a Sh5 million pineapple factory in Homa Bay District to streamline marketing of the crop in Southern Nyanza.

The institute has taken over the former Homa Bay Millers and work on the plant is going on. Farmers termed the construction of the factory a major breakthrough for the region’s economy.

Ms Marceline Akeyo, a pineapple seller in Homa Bay District. Traders like her will soon start selling the fruit to the kirdi processor

Homa Bay District has an estimate of 160 acres under pineapple, and most of the crop is grown by the roadside, according to the District Agriculture Officer Protus Khisa.

Neighouring Districts — Ndhiwa, Rachuonyo and Suba— also grow the crop. Kirdi’s research scientist Japheeth Anuro confirmed, the pineapple project was on course.

"We want to install an equipment to process the pineapples and then to make business sense out of the fruit" Mr Anuro said.

He said the plant will process up to 10 tonnes of high quality pineapple juice per day. Mr Anuro said the decision to set up a pineapple plant in Homa Bay was part of Kirdi’s strategic plan to help make Kenya an Industrialised nation as spelt out in the Vision 2030.

Mr Khisa said the Ministry of Agriculture was supporting the project and was spearheading a campaign to have local farmers increase the acreage under cotton.

"We are encouraging people to produce more of the fruit. In Kobama, we now have 60 acres of land under pineapple," Mr Khisa said.

The Ministry, he added, is also trying to eradicate some pests and diseases that might hinder the production of the fruit. According to the Ministry, pests like Pineapple Leaves pot and Pineapple Mealybug are a threat to the fruit. Besides processing pineapple juice, Kirdi will also manufacture fruit jam, and help in marketing the products.

"We shall also produce canned pineapples, dried pineapples and wine," he confirms. "We have started making marketing contacts a head of production," he said. Farmers are being mobilised and a society—The Kagan, Kanyada, Gem and Kochia Horticultural Cooperative Society — has been formed to scale up pineapple production. Anuro says mobilisation has not been easy because farmers are scattered all over and have many commitments.

The region is also rich in mangoes, oranges, pawpaw, passion, watermelon and tomatoes— fruits Kirdi targets.

"Our processing plant will add value to these fruits that might be considered inferior," the research scientist said.

Kirdi will ensure raw and processed fruits are sold to retail shops, supermarkets, urban outlets and other processing factories all over the country to address overproduction.