President Museveni Launches Royal Milk Enterprises Factory, Advocates for Local Production and Value Addition
By The Public Lens
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni launched the Royal Milk Enterprises Factory in Nalukolongo, Kampala, on September 25, 2024, emphasizing the importance of local production in driving economic growth and ensuring food security.
The President commended Hajji Buruhan Kigoye, founder of Royal Milk Enterprises, for listening to his message of transitioning to commercial farming. “The problem of Africa is not poverty; it is a conceptual issue. We need to understand where prosperity comes from,” he said.
Royal Milk Enterprises, founded in 1995, has grown from a small company in Masindi District to collecting 200,000 liters of milk per day from 25 collection centers across Uganda.
President Museveni encouraged shifting focus from liquid milk to processed products for export, highlighting the potential for longevity and better prices in global markets. Uganda’s current milk production stands at 5 billion liters annually, with a surplus of over 4 billion liters.
The President praised Hajji Kigoye’s children for stepping into their father’s shoes, creating a nucleus for expanding business opportunities. He also emphasized the importance of transitioning to long-life products like Ultra Heat Treatment (UHT) milk to enhance market outreach and reduce transport costs.
The Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs, Hon. Balaam Barugahara, underscored the importance of youth engagement in national development, encouraging young people to participate in the dynamic economic landscape and leverage government programs.
H.E. Jan Sadek, Ambassador of the European Union to Uganda, highlighted Royal Milk’s significance in realizing President Museveni’s vision for Uganda’s industrial transformation. “Royal Milk is a homegrown Ugandan company making strides in value addition, transforming milk into high-quality products.”
Saleh Kigoye, Executive Director of Royal Milk Enterprises, thanked the President for his support and acknowledged the impact of government initiatives, particularly the Parish Development Model (PDM). He appealed for assistance with an Ultra Heat Treatment (UHT) plant to double production capacity.
President Museveni pledged to support the company with the UHT plant through government funding. The event was attended by officials from the Dairy Development Authority, Resident District Commissioners, and various dairy farmers.
