THE Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water Development is convinced that ethanol blended fuel is one of the solutions to the current high prices of petroleum products in the country.

This follows a presentation which was made to the Zambian Government by a technical team from Zimbabwe-based company Green Fuel in Lusaka on Wednesday.

Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water Development Minister Christopher Yaluma said in an interview that the presentation made to Government had convinced him and his technocrats that ethanol-blended fuel was the solution to alleviate the sufferings of the Zambian people.

The Government has intensified its continued search on the possibilities of using ethanol blended fuel in an effort to lower the high fuel prices which have resulted from the removal of subsidies on fuel in Zambia.

On May 23, Energy Deputy Minister George Zulu undertook a conducted tour of the Chisumbanje Energy plant operated by Green Fuel and expressed satisfaction with what he had seen.

Government is in the short term considering importing ethanol from Zimbabwe as it plans to come up with its own ethanol plant at Nakambala Sugar Estate in Mazabuka.

"We concur that the need to introduce ethanol blended fuel in Zambia is the solution to high prices of fuel. We think that this can bring the pump prices down," Mr Yaluma said.

Mr Yaluma said introducing ethanol blended fuel in the country would cushion the impact of high pump prices.

He said Government had seen the need to introduce the ethanol-blended fuel because of the various benefits, but that there was need to seek approval of Cabinet before engaging relevant retailers and operators.

"As a ministry, we have seen that the need to introduce ethanol-blended fuel in the country is there, but what we have to do is seek approval from Cabinet.

"So once we do that, then we will be able to go out and find alternative sources of cheaper fuel," he said.

And director in the department of energy Oscar Kalumiana said the Government was engaged into discussions with various stakeholders involved in the production of biofuels in the country to come up with the prices it will be ready to buy the product at.

Mr Kalumiana said the Government was in a few weeks' time expected to announce the price Government is prepared to pay producers and suppliers of the commodity.

He said Government was discussing with various suppliers, producers including small-scale farmers how much it would be ready to buy the commodity at.