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President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni today officially commissioned the De Heus Fish Feed Factory in Njeru, Buikwe District—the first of its kind in Uganda.

De Heus Uganda, a leading producer of aquaculture and livestock feeds, is part of Royal De Heus, a Dutch family-owned business with over 300 years of experience in milling and one of the top 10 global animal nutrition companies. In Uganda, De Heus is widely recognized through its Koudijs brand, which has been on the market since 2018.

While commissioning the factory, President Museveni thanked the investors for addressing a critical gap in Uganda’s fish feed production. He revealed that he has already allocated land in Bukalasa for the company to establish a poultry feed factory.

The President noted that during his countrywide tours on the Parish Development Model (PDM), farmers highlighted fish feed shortages as a major challenge. Initially, he had tasked the UPDF’s National Enterprise Corporation to find solutions, but De Heus’ investment has provided a more sustainable outcome.

“This is a very happy coincidence. Fish farming is one of the seven key enterprises under PDM, yet I found that feeds were a big problem. De Heus’ investment brings in new capital and expertise and relieves the government of the burden of financing production through the army,” he said.

President Museveni assured the company of abundant and affordable raw materials locally available for feed manufacturing. He also reiterated his campaign to shift rice farming away from wetlands and encourage farmers to adopt fish farming at the peripheries of swamps.

“Rice growing in swamps was a mistake because it disrupts Uganda’s rainfall system. Fish farming offers a more sustainable and profitable alternative. With the USD 80 million investment announced here, we can expand fish ponds across the country, especially for the youth,” he emphasized.

The President further encouraged rice farmers unwilling to switch to fish farming to consider upland or irrigated rice cultivation instead.

On Uganda–Netherlands relations, he welcomed increased European investment, observing that Africa offers a ready market for manufactured products and services.

Stakeholders Commend the Milestone

• Hon. Hellen Adoa, State Minister for Fisheries, hailed the commissioning as a landmark solution to the long-standing challenge of fish feed imports.
• H.E. Frederieke Quispel, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Uganda, praised the strong partnership between the two countries, attributing the project’s success to Uganda’s investment-friendly policies and shared agricultural heritage. She noted that the Netherlands remains the largest foreign direct investor in Uganda.
• H.E. Mirjam Blaak Sow, Uganda’s Ambassador to the Netherlands, applauded the Kingdom of the Netherlands for its continued support and partnership.

From the company’s side:

• Mr. Co de Heus, CEO of De Heus Animal Nutrition, explained that the company backs its international ventures with strong technical and managerial support from its headquarters, ensuring global standards in quality, production, and farmer training.
• Mr. Bon Tjeenk Willink, Managing Director of De Heus Uganda, revealed that the company has invested nearly USD 25 million in Uganda’s fish sector since 2018. The newly commissioned facility, the largest in East Africa, has the capacity to produce 100,000 tonnes of fish feed annually, directly supporting 7,000–10,000 jobs.

“Uganda has one of the best environments for fish, and with this investment, we are ending reliance on imported fish feeds,” Mr. Willink said.

Attendance

The event was also graced by Hon. Diana Mutasingwa, Minister of State in the Office of the Vice President and Buikwe District Woman MP, alongside Members of Parliament and other leaders.