Ethiopia’s plan to raise the amount of ethanol that will be blended with benzene to 20 percent is not achieved in the year 2007 (Ethiopian Calendar) for there is a delay in the new sugar factory projects.

According to Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy, the delay in the new sugar factory projects coupled with the increase for the demand for the product from the beverage and cosmetic factories contributed to the shortage of ethanol in the country.

Currently it is only Fincha and Metehara sugar factories that are producing ethanol in Ethiopia. However, according to Dereje Workneh, Director of Bio Fuel at the Ministry, the supply will improve once the new sugar factories go operational.

According to him during the current fiscal year there was an over-stretched and highly ambitious plan to produce ethanol. He also added there is the need to make sure whether vehicles in the country are capable of taking benzene that is blended with 20 percent ethanol. Nonetheless, there is no problem with benzene blended with 10 percent ethanol.

On the other hand Sugar Corporation claims it has stacked up four million liters of ethanol. The Corporation’s Public Relations Director Zemedkun Tekle, explained the monthly demand is 1,657,667 liters and the stock it has is sufficient to meet the nation’s demand.

Source: Fana Broadcasting Corporate