Gulu University acquires juice processing truck to help farmers

Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | As the mango season enters its peak with limited market, fruit farmers in Acholi sub region can now have a sigh of relief after government ventured into piloting a mango juice processing project.

Through a strategic partnership, Gulu University backed by Operation Wealth Creation, and Makerere University School of Food Technology acquired a juice processing truck under the presidential initiative to process the mango juice and save farmers from the annual revenue loss as the mangoes rot away due to lack of market.

The multi-million truck was delivered to the University last week on Friday. James Onono Ojok, the Gulu University Assistant Public Relations Officer says the juice processing truck is already stationed at the campus business incubation centre to pilot processing of juice from fresh mangoes.

Onono told Uganda Radio Network (URN) that the truck will produce 5 tons of juice every day. He also revealed that the University is already working out a modality of how they will buy the mangoes from the farmers or how the farmers who are near by can deliver the raw materials at a competitive price.

Hellen Aya, a fruit vendor at Gulu City Central Market says the juice truck has come very timely and gives hope for income generation among the fruit farmers in Acholi sub region.

Walter Opiyo, a resident of Gulu West Division says the juice processing truck is a brilliant idea but should be used transparently to benefit the target beneficiaries in order to industrialize the local economy in the region which is still grappling with poverty.

Gulu University Faculty of Agriculture and Department of Food Sciences and Post-Harvest Technology will take lead in the pilot scheme. Trucks will traverse villages to buy fresh mangoes from the farmers.

Currently, a basin full of mangoes costs as little as Shillings 2,000, but with the juice processing pilot scheme in place, the price of mangoes will double according to Onono in order to transform the lives of post-war community.

David Obol Otori, the University Secretary said the pilot scheme is to develop a long term strategy how Gulu University can in the future be supported to develop its own processing plan to stop wastage of mangoes in Acholi.

Gulu Resident District Commissioner Odong Stephen Latek, who was part of the team that welcomed the truck said it is time for Gulu University to demonstrate its capacity by making the pilot a success to attract government funding and support on the juice plant.

The truck that belongs to Makerere University and procured under the presidential initiative is expected to be producing about 5 metric tons of juice depending on the supply of raw materials from the area farmers.

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URN