Kayonza to get US$15m oil processing plant

Kayonza- Mt. Meru Soyco Limited will construct a US$15 million (approx Rwf 9 billion) cooking oil processing plant in Kayonza District.Other key partners in the mega project include Clinton Foundation, Rwanda Social Security Board, Crystal Ventures and Kayonza District.This was disclosed by Afrique Ramba, the Chairman of the company, at a ceremony to launch the venture in Mukarange yesterday.Ramba said that the plant which will essentially be a bulky facility will have the capacity to process 200 tonnes daily. It will use soya beans and sunflower as raw materials.He added that the project had delayed to commence due to a number of technicalities involved.“The firm should be ready in 18 months...it will create 120 permanent jobs and 200 casual labourers will be hired. At least 50 percent of the machinery needed is ready,” he noted.Ramba further called for assistance of other stakeholders to subsidise basic needs like electricity and water.The Governor of the Eastern Provincial, Odette Uwamariya, who officiated at the function, called upon residents to start growing soya beans and sunflower to provide the plant with raw materials once it opens.“Industries and pollution cannot be separated...I hope environmental assessment was done properly to cater for this.” She said the soya beans industry would not only provide money to residents, but also check the issue of malnutrition, adding that soya was a very good source of proteins.“There is ready market...it is up to you to diversify production so as to benefit from the factory,” she said, adding that the factory would employ people, buy their produce and lift them well beyond the poverty line.

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Kayonza to get US$15m oil processing plant