The Public Enterprises Affairs Standing Committee of the House of People's Representatives (HPR) has visited Tendaho and Kesem sugar factories, which were built in Afar regional state.

Despite completion, Tendaho sugar factory, which has the capacity to produce over 3 million quintals of sugar annually, hasn't begun production so far and sat idle due to shortage of sugarcane.

The shortage arose as a result of the ripening of sugarcane on more than 20, 000 hectares of land earlier than the completion of the factory.

Presenting its observation report today, the Committee urged Tendaho sugar factory to enter into production by addressing the current challenge.

According to the Ethiopian sugar corporation, the factory failed to begin production because of shortage of sugarcane.

Tendaho sugar factory has been paying monthly salary for more than 1,000 idle workers, it was noted.

Kesem, which started trial operation a year ago, produced 310 quintals last year and is also expected to produce over 1 million quintals this Ethiopian fiscal year.