RWANDA – Rokosan Limited, Slovakian producer of organic and organo-mineral fertilizers, has commenced construction of a new production facility in Rwanda worth €20m (US$23.6m).

The new facility, will be Rokosan first unit outside its home country, and is aimed to revolutionize production of organic fertilizer by utilizing animal wastes such as poultry feathers, cattle hooves and horns.

Rokosan Rwanda plant is expected to have an annual production capacity of 20 million litres of organic fertilizer.

The facility will be sufficiently served by raw materials sourced locally, as a feasibility study has indicated that the number of cows in the country have steadily risen from 813,417 in 1992 to 1,449,888 in 2020.

Meanwhile, Rwanda’s poultry population increased from 3.5 million in 2010 to 7.6 million in 2018, and there are further interventions by the government to increase poultry yields.

Adam Szöke, Export Manager at Rokosan Limited, has indicated that the planned investment will undertake establishment of a laboratory to conduct soil and crop analysis, in a bid to determine the suitable fertilizers for use.

Rwanda targets to increase fertilizers use to 75 Kilogrammes per hectare by 2024

With construction works already kick-started, the new unit is expected to be operational by the second quarter of 2022.

“The organic products enhance the environmental quality of soil and ground water. We also want to invest in food processing, animal food production and many agro-commodities,” said Adam.

The investment is timely given that the global organic food market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16% to reach around US$ 620 billion by 2026, an increase from US$220 billion in 2019, according to Facts & Factors report.

Modern organic farming was developed as a response to the environmental harm caused by the use of chemical pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.

Meanwhile, the investment will boost fertilizer uptake in the East African country, which currently standing at 46 Kilograms per hectare.

The government of Rwanda targets to increase fertilizers use to 75 Kilogrammes per hectare by 2024.

Adam said that besides satisfying the demand on the local market, they also target export markets including the East African region and Middle East.

“We are working with the Rwanda Agricultural Board and Trade and Industry Ministry to facilitate studies among others,” he said.

Once complete, the factory will create job opportunities for over 150 people in the country.

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