EABW reporter

KIGALI, RWANDA - A precedent was set last week when President Paul Kagame opened a US$37 million agro-processing plant that has been built by local Rwandan investors.

The president encouraged investors to create backward and forward linkages in the economy saying they are critical in spurring development.

“It’s not enough to have such a huge investment, you have a state-of-the-art factory here but the process is something else. Without passion fruits, pineapples and all these things required, the factory would be nothing,” Kagame is quoted in the local press as saying.

“This factory is for the people to produce enough of what the plant requires to make sense for the investor or the people who produce. As a third partner, the government is interested in making these two ends meet,” he said.

The president promised more government support to investors and the local farmers.

Kagame commended the Inyange Industries for venturing into such a huge investment saying such a venture should set the pace for other investors and individuals to venture into business in Rwanda.

Inyange’s top management have promised to supply regional markets and also source raw material from the EAC members.

Company officials say plant has a capacity to produce 6,500 litres of mineral water, 5,000 litres of bottled juice and 5,500 litres of pack-aseptic juice every hour. The complex also has a cooler with a capacity to handle 50,000 litres of milk. “There has been an increase of more than 10-fold in the production capacity compared to our old plant in Gikondo,” the plant’s chief,Mr. Jean Bosco Kanimba said.

The company, which currently employs 269 people.

Trade and Industry minister, Ms. Monique Nsanzabaganwa,  Rwanda’s Minister of Trade and Industry described Inyange as a model factory and investment.