President Museveni has commissioned the De Heus Fish Feed Factory in Njeru, Buikwe District, marking a major milestone for Uganda’s aquaculture sector and broader agricultural transformation.
The $25 million investment by De Heus Uganda — a subsidiary of Royal De Heus of the Netherlands — is the largest fish feed factory in East Africa, with a production capacity of up to 100,000 tonnes annually.
The facility is expected to end Uganda’s dependence on imported fish feeds, lower production costs for farmers, and create between 7,000 and 10,000 jobs.
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Museveni hailed the development as a timely solution to one of the key challenges undermining fish farming under the Parish Development Model.
“Fish feed has been a serious bottleneck. With this factory, Uganda not only secures reliable supply but also benefits from foreign capital, technology transfer, and new jobs,” he said.
The president noted that Uganda is positioning aquaculture as a priority alternative to swamp rice farming, which he warned is harmful to the country’s rainfall system. He pledged government support through provision of affordable raw materials to ensure the factory’s sustainability.
Hellen Adoa, State Minister for Fisheries, said the factory addresses one of the ministry’s biggest hurdles: the high cost and scarcity of fish feeds.
“For years we relied on imports, but today Uganda manufactures its own feeds — this is a turning point,” she said.
Ambassador Frederieke Quispel of the Netherlands lauded the strong bilateral cooperation that enabled the project.
“Uganda and the Netherlands are both agricultural nations. This partnership shows the shared commitment to investment, trade, and food security,” she said.
De Heus, best known locally for its Koudijs brand, has been active in Uganda since 2018.
Its CEO, Mr. Co de Heus, said the company’s global expertise in animal nutrition will ensure Ugandan fish farmers get high-quality feed and professional support to boost productivity.
The commissioning of the plant, observers note, marks the beginning of a new chapter in Uganda’s aquaculture industry — one that promises stronger value chains, greater exports, and economic opportunities for thousands of households.
