Kaliro Sugar Factory Boosts Uganda’s Agro-Industrialisation

“Uganda’s future is in agro-industrialization. Investments like Kaliro Sugar Factory directly align with the national goals by creating thousands of jobs, empowering farmers, and stimulating regional economies. The government will continue to provide an enabling environment for similar ventures to thrive,” President Yoweri Museveni has stated.

In a message delivered on his behalf by Hon Francis Mwebesa, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives at the factory’s inauguration on Friday, he appreciated the investment by businessman Ashish Monpara for adding value to agriculture, creating jobs, and reducing Uganda’s dependence on imports.

He described the commissioning of Kaliro Sugar Factory as a model investment that demonstrates the power of private capital in driving Uganda’s economic transformation.

“This factory represents the spirit of Uganda’s economic transformation, adding value to our agricultural produce, creating jobs for our people, and reducing imports while opening doors to new export markets. I congratulate Ashish Monpara and the people of Kaliro for making this vision a reality,” the president noted.

The state-of-the-art sugar processing plant, in Kaliro District, employs 1,500 people, producing 78,000 tons of raw sugar annually from its daily crushing capacity of 2,500 tons of cane.

The Kaliro Sugar Factory commissioning is a milestone in Uganda’s agro-industrialization journey and underscores the critical role of private investment in delivering national development goals.

Minister of State for Investment and Privatization Evelyn Anite said the project aligns perfectly with Uganda’s industrialization agenda under the National Development Plan III and Vision 2040.

The proprietor of Kaliro Sugar Factory, Ashish Monpara described the plant as more than an industrial investment, calling it a promise to farmers, young people, and the country at large.

“Kaliro Sugar is a promise to the farmers who rise before dawn to tend their cane, that their sweat will translate into prosperity. A promise to the young men and women of Busoga, that dignified jobs and skills await them here at home. A promise to Uganda, that every ton of sugar we produce strengthens its economy, reduces imports, and opens new export doors across East Africa,” Monpara said.

Monpara’s dream is that the factory will become “a heartbeat of transformation,” committed to producing sugar and generating opportunity, dignity, and shared growth in partnership with government, farmers, and local communities.

Local government officials have noted that the factory is making a significant impact and has ambitious expansion plans. Its crushing capacity is projected to rise to 8,000 tons per day over the next two years, with annual output of 230,000 tons of sugar.

Direct employment is expected to rise to 3,000 jobs, while indirect opportunities in transport, services, and trade could benefit over 10,000 people.