The Executive Director of Uganda Development Corporation (UDC), Dr. Patrick Birungi, has encouraged coffee growers in Budadiri and Sebie regions to prioritize business over politics for improved economic growth and development.
Dr. Birungi made these remarks during the launch of a business partnership between UDC and Budadiri Arabic Coffee millers in Sironko District on Wednesday. He emphasized the need for active business engagement to ensure quick returns on investments, highlighting UDC’s substantial investment of 8 billion shillings in the project.
UDC’s involvement came after the company faced challenges paying off a significant loan from UDB, leading to the potential sale of assets. Dr. Birungi mentioned that UDC intervened to rescue the situation, resulting in a change of management and a focus on genuine business operations.
He emphasized UDC’s commitment to providing market access for farmers’ produce, aiming to enhance their livelihoods and enable them to meet various needs such as housing, education, and other essentials.
Dr. Birungi outlined UDC’s goal of returning the facility to the community within the next 4-5 years, with a focus on empowering farmers and fostering economic growth and development in the region.
Some farmers in the region expressed challenges following the factory’s closure, including decreased coffee value and interrupted development initiatives.
