Avani Global Agri, a United States-based company, is to invest Shs112.2 billion in Uganda’s medicinal crop industry. The company’s managing partner, Dr Siva Makesh Tangutooru, said this during a meeting with Col Edith Nakalema, the Head of State House Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU), at SHIPU head office on Lumumba Avenue in Kampala last Wednesday, attended by Agriculture and Works Ministries officials and representatives from other MDAs.

Dr Tangutooru said Avani Global Agri has so far established 700 acres of turmeric and rosemary crops in Nwoya District, Northern Uganda. The firm has plans to expand the acreage to 5,000 acres in the district.

Col Nakalema commended the company for choosing to invest in Uganda, adding that the move will help to scale up the country’s industrialisation. She urged MDAs to fully support Avani Global Agri activities.

“We at SHIPU want to ensure that every wealth creator and anyone adding value to Uganda is not delayed by any public office,” Col Nakalema said.

She said that under the guidance of President Yoweri Museveni, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, and her being the SHIPU head and a foot soldier, SHIPU’s work is to ensure that investors who have already added value like this (Avani Global Agri), are protected.

Dr Tangutooru said the company requires government support to establish solar-drying units within a 40-50km radius of turmeric and rosemary crop growing areas. He added that four years of research conducted in Uganda Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Morocco, Tunisia, India and Indonesia has proved that Uganda produces the best-quality medicinal crops.

“Our products are not regular food crops but are among cash-rich crops that can change farmers’ incomes at the lower level,” Dr Tangutooru said.