Government is in final stages of starting the construction of another banana processing factory in Sanga town council Kiruhura district.
This is after government investing billions of money in the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development (PIBID) which has now been turned into the Banana Industrial Research and Development center (BIRDC) in Bushenyi district.
"Government has already secured some hectares land where this factory shall sit. Sanga has a very unique position and has got boundaries across many districts that are also engaged in banana production like Isingiro, Masaka, Mbarara and many other", Rev. Prof Muranga Florence the executive director BIRDC noted.
As government embarks on the construction of another banana factory, majority of the farmers and leaders in the region are questioning the relevance of the Bushenyi factory .
However, according to Rev. Prof Muranga , the Sanga factory will add onto the one of Bushenyi and will start with a bakery before they embark on bigger matooke processing.
"We are starting with a mega bakery because Bushenyi' bakery was supposed to be a training center for people to use banana flour but this plant here at Sanga will help to decongest Bushenyi," Prof. Mulanga further noted.
The construction of this factory at Sanga has raised more questions that answers on why government never prioritized constructing it in districts like Isingiro that largely produce Matooke in visible quantities.
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However the state minister for Animal industry Retired Lt.Col Bright Rwamirama clarified that this factory was allocated to Sanga in Kiruhura district basing on the scientists and the centrality of the area.
"I come from Isingiro and we wanted this factory better than any other person because we have more bananas than Kiruhura but the factor of more radiation, enough land and the centrality of the area influenced everything," Rwamirama said.
Sanga one of the sub counties in Kiruhura district is largely known for rearing animals but leaders now say this is the time cattle keepers to also involve themselves in banana farming to earn more money.
"We are very prepared to use our land and grow banana and actually we have even started because we have farmers here who have over 30 acres of banana plantations," said Jovanice Rwenduru woman MP, Kiruhura district.
The Nyabushozi county MP Kajwengye Wilson also noted that Kiruhura is grateful for government to have responded positively in giving them a banana processing factory.
He believes this is a milestone that will spur duo incomes.
It is estimated that upon securing all the required money and 143 hectares of land, this factory will be in operation in one or two years to come.
