Construction of a biodiesel plant, expected to produce at least 300,000 litres of fuel per day using jatropha seeds, is progressing well in Zimbabwe,according to the official media New Ziana on Wednesday.

Finealt Engineering, a government-owned company, is carrying out the project, which started in May last year. Production manager, Clement Shoriwa told New Ziana a variety of civil works, including water reticulation, and electricity installation, were being carried out.

"Our intention was to complete the project in July but have not been able to do so due to financial constraints," he said.

So far, he said, roads at the plant were now ready for compacting and tarring.

Shoriwa said the budget at the inception of the project in 2005 had ballooned, though he could not give the figure required now.

Construction of buildings, Shoriwa said, would start once the civil works had been completed.

The factory, to occupy 72 hectares, would accommodate an oil processing plant, seed storage plant, cake processing plant, oil storage tanks, diesel and methanol storage tanks.

Currently the company is producing between 200 and 250 litres of biodiesel per day for own consumption and for research purposes. "We will go commercial once the factory has been completed," said Shoriwa.