adminTHE Green Fuel’s Chisumbanje Ethanol Plant has so far created over 4 200 jobs with the number expected to rise to 10 000 by 2014.
The plant is expected to start operating next April, with output projected to reach 40 million litres by November and 105 million litres at the end of the first season, in March 2012.
According to Green Fuel (Pvt) Ltd, the project is nearing completion, well in advance of the anticipated time frame.
Construction of the plant took just about 14 months, which is a record for a plant of this magnitude — usually it takes three years. Construction of the project started in March last year.
“Green Fuel technicians have been working round the clock to ensure that the plant will be operational in the next two months and ready to start processing over 5 000 hectares of sugarcane into high quality anhydrous ethanol,” said the company.
Agricultural and Rural Development Authority chairman Mr Basil Nyabadza said the ethanol project would result in wider benefits to the economy.
“The production and use of ethanol benefits the economy on many levels from job creation and employment in agriculture and technology, to the availability of clean, renewable, affordable fuel at the pump.
“Petrol prices in Zimbabwe have risen by over 17 percent since the beginning of the year and fuel prices are set to increase as the price of oil worldwide continues to rise.
“The use of ethanol as a safe, clean transportation fuel will reduce pump prices with subsequent benefits to industry, businesses and individuals across the country,” said the Arda chairman.
At least 5 000 hectares of sugarcane have been planted to date on Arda estates at Chisumbanje and Middle Sabi under a Build, Operate, Transfer (BOT) agreement with agricultural companies Macdom Investments and Rating Investments.
Sugarcane ethanol has been a success story in a number of countries worldwide, including the United States, Brazil, China, the Far East and Europe.
Ethanol production worldwide in 2009 reached over 75 billion litres, representing a 64 percent increase from 2007.
The Green Fuel Plant in Chisumbanje represents one of the first largescale ethanolproducing factories in Africa. Upon completion, Zimbabwe will be one of the leading countries in renewable fuel production in the region.
The initiative has already started to accrue broader benefits for the surrounding communities and simultaneously allowed Arda to pursue a vibrant social responsibility agenda for the rural population.
Macdom and Rating have cultivated 10 percent of the land for local farmers to use for their own development, which equates to 4 000 hectares of flood irrigation for smallholder farmers.
At the same time, pumping units and waterways for 18 smallscale schemes, covering 1 863 hectares, have been divided into 2 681 plots for smallscale farmers.
This has resulted in an outgrower scheme being established and local farmers are participating in cane production to supply the plant, and a community assistance fund has been established for local farmers to assist with the various projects.
In addition, a training centre has been established on site to develop the new skills required with the introduction of the latest mechanisation and technology.
Online Reporter