News
04.03.2010
Bidco Starts Palm Oil Production in Uganda
Bidco Uganda Ltd (BUL) will soon start commercial production of palm oil following the completion of its US$10 million oil processing mill on the Lake Victoria island of Bugala in Kalangala district.
The processing plant expected to be commissioned soon by President Yoweri Museveni, will process the crude palm oil before it is taken to the main refinery in Jinja, eastern Uganda, for refining it into cooking oil and other products.
Bidco Uganda managing director, Mr. Kodey Rao, said last week that the 30 tonne per hour capacity mill is low but it will serve the purpose based on the current oil palm acrerage.
Kodey says a 60 tonne per hour capacity mill would do a great job. However, he noted that to have a 60 tonne per hour mill, Bidco needs 10,000 hectares of oil palm.
Bidco is currently developing 6,500 hectares of oil palm, while outgrowers are developing 3,500 hectares.
"With the start of the palm oil mill, farmers will start seeing money and this will encourage them to grow more,' Kodey said.
Kalangala Oil Palm project is part of the Uganda Government Vegetable Oil Development Project (VODP) initiative, a project under the ministry of Agriculture, geared at increasing vegetable oil production in Uganda.
allAfrica.com
