Ethiopia to import 100,000 tonnes of sugar in 2008-09

March 27, 2008 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopia plans to buy 100,000 tonnes of sugar in 2008-2009 to meet growing demand by its 80 million strong population, an official told Reuters on Thursday.

The director of the state-owned Ethiopia Sugar Support Enterprise, Musa Mohammed Zeinu, said expansion work on the country’s three sugar estates had taken longer than planned and the country would have to import sugar to stabilise the market.

“The first batch of 40,000 tonnes purchased from a UK-based ED&F and Louis Dreyfus, a Switzerland-based company at $15 million is being shipped and we hope it will reach here by June,” Musa said.

He said the state-owned management company had floated a tender to procure an additional 60,000 tonnes of sugar.

In 2007/08, Ethiopia imported 36,000 tonnes worth more than $13 million to meet a shortfall.

“During the 2007/08 period local demand for sugar was set at 350,000 tonnes. In 2008/09 it is projected to reach 420,000 tonnes,” Musa said.

Ethiopia’s three sugar estates produce 260,000 tonnes annually and the government has launched a $600 million sugar estate known as Tendaho to boost production by 600,000 tonnes. Production is expected to start in 2009.

(Reuters)