Bukona Agro Processors' vision for Nwoya was ambitious: turn the region into a hub for industrial-grade ethanol production. However, years of delays were caused by obtaining a certificate of conformity from the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS).

Managing director Praviin Kekal recalls a 2021 near-miss when Vivo Energy Kenya threatened to take a million-litre export order unless certification was obtained quickly. The challenge wasn't production capability but the lengthy wait for UNBS' Q-Mark certificate.

Transporting samples from Nwoya to Kampala, over 300km away, proved costly and time-consuming. This hindered Bukona's ability to compete in the regional energy market.

The launch of UNBS' Northern Regional Food Safety Testing Laboratory in Gulu in July 2022 brought relief to many traders, including Praviin, who welcomed the lab with hope.

UNBS aimed to decentralise testing services and support Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across Uganda by starting with food products. The regional lab was part of this plan.

Three years after its launch, Praviin says the Gulu lab has delivered beyond expectations.

"What used to take months now takes days," he notes. "Since the laboratory opened, it takes a week to get results." This improvement in turn-around time has greatly stabilised Bukona's operations and fueled ambitious growth.

Praviin reveals that Bukona Agro Processors has expanded its operations to produce hydrous ethanol for blending with fuel at a new plant in Malaba in eastern Uganda, one of East Africa's busiest border points.

"We started manufacturing ethanol for blending with petrol," Praviin says. "We have a license for blending at Malaba. What we manufacture here will be blended with petrol at the Malaba plant."