MAHTANI

By MAIMBOLWA MULIKELELA-
MAHTANI Group of Companies has partnered with Sunbird Group of the United Kingdom to develop the first Bioethanol plant in Luapula Province at a cost of US$150 million.
Bioethanol is a principle fuel used as a petrol substitute for road transport vehicles and will mainly be produced from cassava.
Mahtani Group of Companies executive chairperson Rajan Mahtani said the group is working with Sunbird Group to establish a $150 million Bioethanol plant in Luapula Province.
In an interview in Lusaka, Dr Mahtani said the development of the project was expected to start either in October or November this year.
Dr Mahtani said the project would create more than 2,000 direct job opportunities and 5,000 indirect jobs comprising of out-grower farmers.
“We are working with international players to develop the first Bioethanol plant which will be set up in Luapula. That project hopefully, provided the permissions are granted, should start on the first week of October or the first week of November this year,” he said.
Dr Mahtani said Mahtani Group was working with the Sunbird Group of the UK with operations in the United States and China.
“The significant of the project is that it is going to be the first project that will be using cassava to extract bioethanol for fuel and that will help in going green,” he said.
Bioethanol will be produced from renewable resources like cassava which can grow well in Luapula Province, making it a suitable location for the bioethanol plant.
Another benefit over fossil fuels is the greenhouse gas emissions.