2merkato

The Ethiopian Sugar Corporation, made up of the Wonji Shewa, Metehara and Finchaa sugar factories in Ethiopia, produced 73,862 tons of sugar in the first two quarters of the Ethiopian fiscal year.

The sugar Corporation was able to distribute 206,372 tons of locally produced sugar in the last six months in addition to its imported stock.

The sugar factories were also able to produce 3,885,760 liters of ethanol as a by-product of sugar production to be blended with benzene to lower the costs of gasoline imports.

Representatives made up of from local tanneries and the Leather Industry Development Institute of Ethiopia are expected to travel to South and North Sudan, this week to review conditions for importing raw and semi-processed leather.

The delegation will evaluate the market and other facilities to be found in the two countries as a preliminary study before beginning imports according to sources at the Institute.  

The representatives will visit South Sudan first and go on to North Sudan said experts at LIDI.

Ethiopia expects to earn an estimated one billon US dollars from the export of textile goods by the end of the five year development plant according to Sileshi Lemma, Director General of the Textile Industry Development Institute.

All stakeholders in the textile sector including investors and the government have been exerting efforts to encourage the increase in export of textile goods explained Sileshi at a one day symposium held at the Addis Ababa Exhibition Center under the theme of 'Textile Industry and Its Prospects in Ethiopia'.

The expansion work being done on Finchaa Sugar Factory, Ethiopia at an estimated cost of 500 million birr is expected to be finalized this fiscal year.

The expansion project is 86% complete with 80% of the canals and side roads and 30% of the road network completed according to Kumelachew Abebe, Communications and Public Relations Process Owner with the Ethiopian Water Works Construction Enterprise.

Tikur Abay Shoes Share Company commenced trial production of ‘safety shoes’ designed for industrial wear as of last month.

The manufacturer installed new machinery from German Company, DESMA at a cost of 1.1 million US dollars.

Tikur Abay had floated the international bid for the supply of the machinery required to the manufacture the safety shoes in 2009.