Colombia’s New Industrial Hub in Sutamarchán

In the Boyacá department of Colombia, a new initiative is taking shape to transform the local tomato and onion industries. The Rural Development Agency (ADR) has announced the advancement of technical studies for a major agro-industrial center in the municipality of Sutamarchán, a region recognized as one of the country’s most vital agricultural corridors.

The project is driven by a recurring challenge for local farmers: significant portions of the harvest are currently lost due to fluctuations in fruit quality and volatile market prices. By establishing a dedicated facility for both collection and processing, the government aims to provide a “buffer” for producers, allowing them to turn surplus or “imperfect” crops into value-added products.

Once operational, the plant will move beyond fresh distribution to produce industrial-grade ingredients and consumer goods, including:

• Tomato and onion pastes
• Concentrated sauces
• Dehydrated vegetables and preserves

The facility is designed with a significant logistical footprint to match the region’s high output. It will feature a storage and collection capacity of 400 to 500 tonnes, with the specialized machinery required to process 10 tonnes of produce every day.

The financial structure involves a 25 billion peso (c. 6.7 million USD) investment from the national government through the ADR, while the municipality of Sutamarchán provides the physical land for the construction.

A distinct aspect of this project is its management structure. Rather than being operated by local government offices, the plant will be handed over to the producers themselves. Approximately 15 local associations—including eight tomato producer groups and seven onion groups—are being trained to manage the facility. The intent is to empower these cooperatives to handle their own commercialization and market entry directly.

The project is currently in the “studies and designs” phase, with the ADR aiming to begin the contracting process and break ground in the second half of 2026.

César Pachón, president of the ADR, noted that this center is part of a larger regional investment strategy exceeding 75 billion pesos (c. 20 million USD), which also includes new irrigation districts and animal processing facilities across the Boyacá department. For the farmers of Sutamarchán, the completion of this plant will mark a shift from simple cultivation to a more stable, industrial-scale future.

Source: Ondas del Porvenir