Construction gets underway of De Heus aqua feed plant in Uganda
At full capacity, the manufacturer said the new plant will have the capability to produce approximately 50,000 metric tons of fish feed per year, catering to the growing demand in the East African market.
With the wild catch stagnating or decreasing and the population rapidly growing, farmed fish has become crucial to meet the increasing demand, said the Dutch feed producer.
“Uganda possesses immense potential for aquaculture, given its large lakes and favorable water temperatures that support year-round fish farming. By launching this plant, we aim to provide a positive boost to the aquaculture industry in Uganda and the surrounding countries."
Although the industry has shown promising growth in recent years, it requires affordable and reliable quality feeds for further development, said De Heus. Currently, most feeds are imported, but its local factory will offer a shorter, more flexible supply chain, it added.
“The impact of this plant goes beyond employment at the facility itself. We anticipate a significant positive effect on employment among fish farmers and our suppliers, as we aim to replace imports and source raw materials such as maize, cassava, soy, and others locally as much as possible.”
Expansion in Africa
In Uganda, the company operates under two distinct brands: De Heus for aqua feed and Koudijs for other livestock feeds.
Beyond Uganda, De Heus has been investing to expand its footprint in Africa: in South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, and more recently with new plants in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. It has close to 100 factories spread across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and it is now one of the top 10 global feed companies.
New Brazilian ruminant feed factory
Last month saw De Heus Brazil officially inaugurate a plant in Itaberaí, Goiás. That factory specializes in producing feed and supplements for ruminants, with advanced technology, production management systems, and an automated process ensuring production safety and adherence to high-quality product standards, said the company.
The newly opened plant will significantly increase the company's production capacity in the state from 40,000 to 180,000 tons per year.
De Heus entered the state of Goiás in 2019 through the acquisition of the former Cerrado Nutrição Animal site. It set about building the new feed plant within the same industrial complex, while the old factory was transformed into a warehouse for storing pig and poultry feed manufactured by other De Heus plants in Brazil.
The Dutch group has currentlly six plants in Brazil, alongside an administrative unit and a distribution center.
