President Mugabe watches as Harare Polytechnic student Elizabeth Rubaya cuts a cake made from the masau fruit (Ziziphus Mauritiana) for him at the Research and Intellectual Exposition at the University of Zimbabwe September 6, 2012., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
Price of E10 fuel too high: President
Friday, 07 September 2012 00:58
Zimbabwe Herald
President Mugabe watches as Harare Polytechnic student Elizabeth Rubaya cuts a cake made from the masau fruit (Ziziphus Mauritiana) for him at the Research and Intellectual Exposition at the University of Zimbabwe yesterday.
Lovemore Chikova Deputy News Editor
President Mugabe yesterday said the price of E10 fuel produced by Green Fuel from the blending of ethanol and petrol was too high.
The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces was speaking while touring a stand for research on ethanol fuel at the Research and Intellectual Expo at the University of Zimbabwe.
“Their pricing of ethanol fuel is very high,” said President Mugabe.
“We are still discussing the matter at Government level.”
E10 costs US$1,44 per litre at some service stations, while in other countries the price is around US$0,75 per litre.
An official at the E10 stand said they had the technology to produce E85 in which ethanol would make up 85 percent of the blended fuel.
Energy and Power Development Minister Elton Mangoma recently said the Government would not introduce mandatory blending of ethanol and petrol until Green Fuel — a US$600 million ethanol project in Manicaland — explains why its product was more expensive than in other countries.
Green Fuel has shut down its Chisumbanje factory, sending nearly 4 500 workers home.
The Government recently appointed a Cabinet committee led by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara to revive the factory.
The committee has since made two visits to the plant to familiarise itself with problems affecting the blending and eventual sale of E10.
President Mugabe toured various stands at the RIE expo, where he commended research work being done by different institutions.
He was particularly interested in the recently launched Sirdamaize 113 seed exhibited at the Scientific and Industrial Research and Development Centre.
President Mugabe also toured stands for the Tobacco Research Board, Mutare Polytechnic, Kwekwe Polytechnic and MP Enterprises, which makes protective clothing. At the Harare Polytechnic stand, President Mugabe commended the development of a drip irrigation system suitable for both large scale and small-scale farmers.
He also tasted a cake made from the masau ((Ziziphus Mauritiana)) fruit at the stand.
President Mugabe toured the University of Zimbabwe stand where academics such as Professor Sheunesu Mpepereki, Prof Barbara Maasdorp, Prof Claude Mararike, Prof Chipo Dyanda and Prof Julie Stewart displayed their research work.
He took some time at a stand displaying research on the Tonga tribe, where he was told that research was under way on the tribe on both sides of the Zambezi River.
He also toured stands for the National University of Science and Technology, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Bindura University of Science Education and Solusi University.
The second edition of RIE, which started on Wednesday, ends today.
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