Sh500m fruit factory to give farmers more profits

By JOSEPH MASHA

Kilifi County: It is good news for more than 30,000 mango and banana farmers at the Coast following plans to set up a fruit processing plant at Msabaha in Kilifi County.

The Sh500 million modern plant will give farmers a ready market and is to produce 90 tonnes of processed fruit products daily.

Malindi MP Dan Kazungu said the factory being built on a ten acre piece of land with money from the Industrial and Commercial Development Co-operation (ICDC) would be operational by early next year.

Kazungu said the plant is geared at improving the constituency and county economies by creating a ready market for produce and jobs.

Project delayed

“This plant has significance in Malindi and Kilifi counties,” said Kazungu.

According to the chairman of ICDC Mr Martin Muragu completion of the project has been delayed by about one year due to logistical issues but it was in its final phase.

The chairman made the remarks at the plant yesterday when he led ICDC board of directors while accompanied by Kazungu to inspect the construction works.

“I’m happy to say that the works are almost complete. The operations are set to start by March next year,” said chairman Muragu.

Gordon Richards the Director of Organic Growers and Packers company which is putting up the plant said it would have a capacity to process and produce five tonnes of produce per hour or 90 tonnes of mango and banana juice and other by products in a day.

Mr Richards said 80 per cent of the processed products would be exported with only 20 per cent being sold locally.

The director said a Kenya Revenue Authority office was being built within the plant’s premises to facilitate quick checks and fasten the process before exporting the products.