Source of Uganda’s Best Tea Aims to Boost Capacity

Known for producing Uganda’s best tea, Igara GTF also plays a major role in the national economy through employing over 1,000 workers directly and a further 6,500 workers indirectly with over 6,000 farmers.

The company supports many corporate-social-responsibility projects. Through its management agents, Uganda Tea Development Agency, Igara GTF is marketed locally and in Mombasa, Kenya, through auctions and direct sales. Igara GTF is currently looking forward to expand its processing capacity. “One of our plants has a capacity of 85,000 kgs of green leaf and the other handles 36,000 kgs. We need more processing capacity, since we pick around 220,000 kgs of tea,” explains Robert Ejiku, Group Manager. The company achieved a turnover of €8.63 million (UGX29 billion) in 2011, an impressive 25% increase over 2010, and expects this to grow to over €11 million (US$13.6 million) this year.

Robert Ejiku is very positive about Igara GTF’s future. He says, “I believe that in three to five years, Igara GTF will be operating three plants which will boost the annual turnover significantly and should be able to sustain over 80% exports of its product. We want to market our own brand of tea and be recognised for our high quality. We are currently looking for partners for a small hydropower station for our factories and to assist local communities.”