Fruit processing plant to be set up in Eldoret

Last Updated 14 years ago by Kenya Engineer

Passion fruit farmers in Kenya have a reason to smile following plans by an Eldoret-based investor to set up a fruit processing plant. The Sh500 million factory by Transaction Link International Limited, a private company that specializes in micro-finance and agribusiness-targets European and Middle East export markets.

According to the executive director, David Ndiema, the plant has identified a block of 1.3 acres of land valued at Sh30 million in Eldoret opposite the Kenya Industrial Estates (KIE).Whereas the funding of the factory would be sourced from Bertuzi, an Italian food processing company who will provide the machinery as well, Ndiema said that there were funding arrangements with Diamond Trust Bank for purchase of the land. He added that they were in consultations with other various banks in regard to the funding.

“We will get 75 per cent of the financing from Bertuzi Food of Italy and we are also working with a MEAF Consultants located at Sameer Park in Nairobi”, said Ndiema.

They however await approval from Kenya Investment Authority (KenInvest) who said they will offer the certificate only after a site visit to the proposed land.

The project will involve development of a commercial nursery for breeding of quality seeds and growing of grafted purple passion fruits on yellow seedlings for 12,000 farmers. The company intends to contract small holder farmers in Eldoret to grow the passion fruits.

Kenya is among the few countries that grow the purple variety of the fruit. However, the local passion fruit market remains small, accounting to only three per cent of all the fruits in stalls and supermarkets. South America remains the dominator of passion fruit growing with Equador, Brazil and Peru being key producers.

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