NAIROBi, Kenya
Mea Limited plans to build a fertilizer blending factory in Ethiopia to tap growing demand in that country. The plant, to be constructed in South East Ethiopia at the cost of $ 3 million (Sh255 million), will produce NPK fertilizers.
The company signed an MoU with Yoze Business PLC of Ethiopia during President Kenyatta’s recent visit to Ethiopia. Mea Managing Director Eustace Muriuki said the factory will use the dry bulk fertilizer blending technology at an annual capacity of 300,000 metric tonnes. Currently, Kenya enjoys a most favoured nation status based on an agreement signed between the governments of Kenya and Ethiopia in 2012, giving Kenyan investors preference when investing in Ethiopia.
“Our 36 years’ experience in blending fertilizer was a key consideration for Mea to be invited to set up this plant. Together with the blending factory, Mea Limited will also set up a soil testing laboratory,” said Mr Muriuki.
About 40 percent of the cultivated soils in Ethiopia are acidic and the government has instituted remedial measures to improve the soil condition to increase crop productivity. Ethiopia is planning to supply farmers with 1.5 million metric tonnes in 2014/2015 out of which one million metric tonnes will be NPK fertilizer blends.
This will be the second fertilizer plant to be set up by MEA Ltd, having already established a blending factory and a granulation plant in Nakuru. It will be its first blending plant outside Kenya and aims to employ over 300 employees.
