Ethiopian Sugar Industry Group announced that all sugar factories would start production in mid November after completing their maintenance. The Group was given the responsibility to manage the sugar factories and projects and enable them to be capable of running themselves.

It is to be recalled that the Ethiopian Government issued an international tender in August this year to transfer the ownership of eight sugar factories to private investors. The factories that were open for auction were Omo Kurza 1, Omo Kuraz 2, Omo Kuraz 3, Omo Kuraz 5, Arjo Dedessa, Kessem, Tana Beles, and Tendaho.

Ethiopia produces 3 to 4 million quintals of sugar annually while the annual sugar consumption is between 5 and 6 million quintals. According to Reta Demeke, Head of Public Relations Department of Ethiopian Sugar Industry Group, lack of foreign currency to buy a large number of factory machinery, irrigation network machinery, various vehicles, spare parts, chemicals, soil fertilizers, herbicides, and inflation are the reasons behind the shortage of sugar in the country.

Source: Walta Media and Communication Corporate