IN 1954 A GROUP OF DUTCH SUGAR CANE EXPERTS - DEPRIVED OF PROPERTY WHEN INDONESIA RECEIVED INDEPENDENCE - BEGAN WORK ON A CONCESSION OF LAND GRANTED THEM BY THE ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT ON THE BANKS OF THE AWASH RIVER, 70 MILES FROM ADDIS ABABA.

SEVEN YEARS LATER, THE PLANT HAD GROWN INTO THE LARGEST AND ONE OF THE MOST PROSPEROUS INDUSTRIES IN THE COUNTRY. RUN BY THE DUTCH COMPANY OF HANDELVEREENIGING AMSTERDAM, IT HAS 7,000 EMPLOYEES AND A PRODUCTION TARGET OF 40,000 TONES OF SUGAR A YEAR. BY MID-1962 12,000 ACRES OF CANE WILL BE UNDER CULTIVATION, DESPITE SETBACK EARLIER IN THE YEAR FROM HEAVY RAIN.

APART FROM THE CANE CUTTING, WHICH IS DONE BY TEAMS OF MACHETE SWINGING LABOURERS, THE WHOLE PROCESS IS MECHANISED. CONVOYS OF TRACTOR DRAWN TRAILERS CARRY AN ENDLESS STREAM OF CANE TO THE PLANT WHERE IT IS CRUSHED AND REFINED AT THE RATE OF 1,400 TONS A DAY. A UNIQUE FEATURE OF THE PLANT IS THAT IT RETAILS ITS OWN HARVEST, PACKAGING AND SELLING IT IN PLASTIC BAGS.

SO GREAT HAS THE DEMAND FOR CHEAP SUGAR BECOME IN ETHIOPIA THAT A SECOND PLANT IS PLANNED FOR THE AREA TO FURTHER INCREASE PRODUCTION AND LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR AN EXPORT TRADE.

THE EMPLOYEES OF THE PLANT AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE HOUSED IN FOURTEEN NEW VILLAGES BUILT BY THE COMPANY AROUND THE FRINGES OF THE PLANTATION.