Fuel blending cut to 10 percent

Harare Bureau
RAINS have affected the harvesting of cane for ethanol production at Chisumbanje, forcing the government to relax the blending of petrol with ethanol from 15 percent to 10 percent. Energy and Power Development Minister Dzikamai Mavhaire said heavy rains that pounded Chisumbanje in Manicaland affected harvesting of sugarcane by Green Fuel.

“The blending of petrol with ethanol has been progressing well until recently when a lot of rain made it impossible to harvest cane for ethanol production leading to the strained supplies,” the minister said in a statement.

He added: “This supply strain resulted in the stocks that had been anticipated to take care of inevitable short production interruptions being reduced to very low levels.

“Given this development, the Ministry has relaxed the blending of petrol from 15 percent to 10 percent until adequate stocks have been built.”

Triangle, which also produces ethanol, has been asked to put its product on the market for three months.
Minister Mavhaire said the measures were taken to ensure consistent availability of petrol on the market.
Production of ethanol has since resumed at Chisumbanje.

“We need to assure the public that there is enough fuel. The ministry assures the public of its commitment to ensure uninterrupted supply of fuel to the motoring public and all other users,” said Minister Mavhaire.

The development comes barely three weeks after a Zimbabwean citizen, Tabani Mpofu, took the government to court over the mandatory blending ratios.

Mpofu, through his lawyer, Tendai Biti, launched the application contesting Green Fuel’s monopoly and blending ratios.
He argues the monopoly and blending ratios do not guarantee fair competition and are not in the interests of motorists. This follows the introduction by government of mandatory blending ratios of E15 on November 30 last year.

The blending started with 5 percent ethanol and 95 percent unleaded petrol on August 15, following the issuance of an ethanol production (mandatory blending) licence to Green Fuel on August 5. The blending increased to 10 percent and then 15 percent.