• Irrigated lowland wheat production to grow five fold
ADDIS ABABA– Sheger Bakery that has a capacity to manufacture two million loaves of bread a day entered operation phase yesterday.
Speaking at the inaugural event, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed appreciated the pace of the construction expressing hope that the move is an indication to the feasibility of the national effort to be food self-sufficient in the coming few years.
A new initiative, irrigated lowland wheat farm, has covered around 20,000 Ha of land in Afar, Somali, SNNP as well as Oromia regions this year, he said, announcing plan to upscale it to 100,000 Ha by the next year and eventually substitute wheat importation with local produce.
He added, we have imported the wheat and oil related products and these cannot fulfill the number of population demands and from the troubles in sustainable way so to avail this we have launched the new wheat plantations farming programs in Afar, Somali, SNNP and some extent in Oromia states by producing in domestic to achieve our food security.
The factory that distributes bread in all the sub-cities of Addis Ababa could create up to 3,400 jobs. The largest Bread distributor and producer Sheger Bakery is owned by Horizon Plantation PLC, it was learnt.
The Ethiopian Herald June 26, 2020
BY MISGANAW ASNAKE
