Minister of trade and industry, Grima Biru told ENA that 24 projects have been licensed so far as per the five-year program of the government effective since 1998E.C.

He said 13 of the projects have already launched activities to commence production.

The factories are believed to produce 767,000 tons of cement until the end of the current Ethiopian budget year.

The government has attached due attention to inputs of construction, he said, adding, the current supply of cement is not satisfactory as compared to the present demand for cement in the country.

There are plans to increase the annual cement production capacity to 4.7 million tones from the current 1.6 million tones at the end of the five-year program.

Accordingly, the government has made the sector open and conducive to private investors, with a view to achieving the plan.

He said the country would be able to produce up to 10 million tones of cement per annum when all the projects fully go operational,.

He said in the meantime, the government is offering several incentives to enable investors import cement with a view to meeting the present demand for cement in the country.

Accordingly, some 8.6 million quintals of cement is being imported annually, he said.

Cement is imported through franco-valuata and free of Value-Added Tax and surtax.

R: 11:10-12:00 AM

E:2:00-2:31 PM

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