1. Product Description: Repellants are materials that affect insects and other organisms in disrupting their natural behavior. For blood sucking insects, the desired result is to disrupt the biting of human by the insects to spread the spread of the disease. Repellants can be prepared in the form of cream or they can be burned to deter mosquitoes from coming near people.
2. Rationale: In the last 15-20 years, malaria has spread in most parts of the Amhara Region. Areas which were malaria-free are now malarial infested. Areas like Bahir Dar where malaria was supposed to have been eradicated long time ago are now malaria infested. Malaria has become one of the major killer diseases in the Amhara Region. Malaria does not only kill but it also makes those who survive it very weak and extremely susceptible to other diseases. As a result, ex-patients of malaria are less productive in any effort. Different approaches are being used to control malaria. In addition to these, the production of repellants in the Region will contribute to the control of malaria. The need of this plant is, therefore, too obvious.
3. Market Potential: Of the 19 million people who live in the Amhara Region, more than 65 percent or 12.35 million live in areas where malaria is prevalent and the potential market for the repellant is 12.35 million people. Different types of repellants can be manufactured; one type is a cream which is sold in a small plastic container with about 50 gm weight. If only one million people buy two containers a year, total annual demand for the repellant cream will be 100,000kg or 100 ton of cream. Even with this low assumption the market can absorb the production of 20 mosquito replant plants in the Region.
4. Source of Raw Material: the raw material are chemical products including white Vaseline and these inputs are imported raw or in semi finished form.
5. Production Process & Technology: If the plant is to produce repellant to be made in a form cream, the following are the main production processes. The main ingredients of the of repellant are melted in a melting tank, the melted ingredients are mixed; in the mixing stage other ingredients are added. Finally, the paste is mixed homogenously by continuous stirring until it is ready for packaging. The main machinery and equipment is an automatic chemical mixer with a stainless steel mixing tank, wet grinder with washing tank, extruder with winder and electric dryer.
6. Estimated Investment: Birr 545,000
7. Benefits to the Region’s Economy: protects people from being attacked by mosquitoes thereby saving them from dying of malaria or being sick and weak due to malaria; maintains the physical and mental energy of people so they become as productive as they could be; maintains productivity and production, saves people from spending their meager financial resources for medical treatment to cure themselves from malaria, etc.
8. Location: Bahir Dar, Combolcha, Debre Birhan and Gondar.