Heavy rains have destroyed a section of the Rwf270 million solar-powered pineapple drying factory, which is under construction in Ngoma District, Eastern Province.

The project is aimed to reduce post-harvest losses incurred by farmers along the value chain.

Its comes days after Rwanda Meteorology Agency warned of looming heavy rains, which are rare during this period of the year.

With construction works at 50 per cent, the plant was set to begin operations in August this year, officials said.

Mapambano Nyiridandi, the Vice Mayor in charge of Economic Development in Ngoma District, told The New Times district officials had contacted the investor to plan for the resumption of construction works on the project.

The project seeks to process pineapples, partly to address the shortage of market for farmers and bolster exports.

"We talked to the investor and promised to resume work soon,” he said.

Walls of the ongoing construction of Rwf270m solar-powered pineapple drying factory collapsed due to heavy rains. / Courtesy

The plant has the capacity to process 90,000 tonnes of pineapple every month.

The dried pineapples from the factory will be packaged for both domestic and export markets.

Ngoma is arguably the largest pineapple growing district in the country and hence disruptions to the construction of the sole factory in the district is a major setback for farmers.

There are about 4,000 hectares on which pineapples are grown in Sake, Zaza and Mugesera sectors, which need value addition to boost the incomes of framers.

"With the solar-powered factory to enhance value addition, farmers will manage to access the market close to them,” Nyiridandi said.

Farmers rely on the Kigali market for their produce. And given that pineapples are perishable products, coupled with high transport costs, farmers fetch low prices for their produce, Nyiridandi says.

"The factory will therefore reduce such post-harvest losses,” he said.

Charles Ndereyemungu, the Mugesera-KOABANAMU Pineapple Farmers’ Cooperative, which has more than 90 members said that efforts should be made to fast-track the construction works so as to help address post-harvest losses.

"We usually sell our produce at Rwf150 per kilogramme which is too little considering our investment. We hope that by adding value to pineapples, we can also fetch better prices. The high transport cost will also decrease. Our cooperative supplies between 30 tonnes and 50 tonnes per week during harvesting season to different parts of the country,” he said.

Ndereyemungu said that he personally pays Rwf180,000 a day per truck that transports his own produce to Southern Province.