It will not be long to see Ethiopia becomes one of the leading horticulture product exporting countries in the world. Many countries have been acquainted Ethiopia by its long history and home of many historical heritages. Coffee is Ethiopia’s unique features though it hasn’t introduced it well.
As the time goes by, Ethiopia has showed itself in several sectors that have been flourished in certain time frame. Both the agriculture and industry sectors have registered tangible growth.
As nearly 85 percent of the nation’s population is leading agrarian life, most of the agricultural products have been used for local consumption. This doesn’t mean that the country has not exported anything. Ethiopia is very popular in its oil seeds that bring a certain amount of hard currency income to the nation. To alleviate the current food security appeal, the government and responsible bodies should work hard to create other opportunities to farmers.
It is the fact that working on fruit production brings a tremendous amount of benefit to the nation. Unlike other products, fruits have plenty to offer to the people. Fruits can be used for different purposes like a kind of dish on a daily dining table, medicine, and inputs to produce other products such as oil. The best fruit for the above listed benefits is avocado. Lately, the government of Ethiopia in collaboration with responsible stakeholders, who want to invest on horticulture, has been putting its better efforts on exporting agricultural products like avocado. It not long ago that Ethiopia has proved itself as a potential source of avocado products.
Many reports show that Mexico is leading the list of avocado exportation. As per its present status, Ethiopia is hopeful to be a better avocado exporting country to the global market.
According to last year’s report from the Central Statistical Agency, more than 161 thousand hectares of land is covered by fruit crops. Avocado trees have covered 18.94 percent of the land next to banana which is 59.4 percent. The report also disclosed that more than 14 million quintals of fruits were produced. From this figure, the avocado production shares 17.29 percent.
In recent years, the nation has attracted countries like Europeans by its fruit products. According to the data The Ethiopian Herald received, last year’s report indicated that Ethiopian farmers have prepared to export standard and high quality avocado products to the global market. The report further disclosed that many farmers from Amhara and Oromia Regions have involved in the avocado production. Ethiopia’s Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA) announced that nine agricultural clusters in Amhara Region will be starting export a dark green and bumpy type avocado called Hass which is cultivated on 200 hectares of land. Besides, farmers from Oromia Region are ready to export 16 tons of avocado products to the world market.
By the same token, investors are well informed that Ethiopia has untapped natural resources that suit agricultural production. To support the idea, a report of 2021 indicates that CEO of Belgium-based Durabilis, Evert Wulfrank believes that Ethiopia is a country with full of opportunities. Regarding avocado production, the CEO disclosed that they have been working with avocado grower farmers who established themselves well and supported by the government of Ethiopia and the Israeli NGOs.
Wulfrank also remarked, “They were looking for a commercial and post-harvest partner, someone who could complement them in the supply chain and bring their product to high-value markets, such as the Middle East and obviously Europe. This is how we initially started. We saw the opportunity, we knew the logistical challenges and the operational challenges in the country and we understood the market potential of avocados.”
In addition, the United Nations’ FAO reported that around 300,000 farmers cultivate avocadoes in the Sidama and SNNPR regions of Ethiopia. UN also highlighted that farmers are highly involving in avocado nursery to develop avocado seedlings. The report showed that one of the farmers Bogale Borena from Yirgalem in the southern part of Ethiopia has affirmed that he set up an avocado nursery to produce 40 thousand grafted seedlings to avocado growers. He added that with careful avocado nursery management, the use of grafting tools and polyethene bags, he has increased production from 15,000 seedlings in 2020 to 40,000 in 2021.
Bogale added, “I think my nursery is a good example of how inclusive agricultural value chains can boost youth employment, farmers’ incomes, and by far contributing to the eradication of poverty.”
While having a short stay with The Ethiopian Herald, Ethiopian Horticulture Producers Exporters Association manager, Wale Getaneh said that there is a growing demand for avocado worldwide. The demand is high among the European, Asian, Middle Eastern buyers. Ethiopia has been exporting raw avocado products, but the association is trying to address its customers with better and value added products.
As mentioned earlier, avocado has plenty to provide to people. Wale said that things must be very suitable in the value chain. The manager also highlighted that Ethiopia has secured more than 431.6 million USD from over 741 thousand kilograms of avocado export. Between July to October 2021, Ethiopia earned 131.4 million USD exporting 87,200 kilograms of avocado products.
As to the manager, the majority of avocado growers are small holder farmers with an average land size of 1-2 hectares. Specific areas like Mecha district in Western Gojam, Butajira in SNNP, and Lume district in Oromia are the major sources of improved avocado varieties with the aim of exporting quality products.
The ability to develop and upscale the entire value chain from inputs, production packing houses, cold storage facilities, transportation, and improving access to market information determine the country’s place in the world market, Wale added.
Achieving the desired objectives responsible stakeholders should work mainly on the value chain. The manager noted that Ethiopia’s involvement in global avocado market is expanding. The sector needs well organized and functional linkage between small holders and private investors.
On the other hand, Mekonnen Solomon, Horticulture Investment and Export Support Director, at the Ministry of Agriculture explained that the government of Ethiopia is about to revise and adjust the selling price of Ethiopian fruits and vegetables that are exported to neighboring countries. As to the director, it has been years that Ethiopia set the lowest selling price. For such long time, there was no adjustment. Some unlawful business persons have been taking the advantage in between to get huge benefits. Government’s effort is to benefit the real producers reversing such illegal benefit that the mediators rob with no value addition.
To wrap up the idea, as the nation has untapped natural environment and resources, such products will answer many queries regarding creating job opportunities and additional income to the farmers and answering the question of food security. Apart from the export advantage, there are lots of other benefits we get from working hard on the avocado plantation. To get what we want, every stakeholder including the government should strive for better value chain and market system.
BY DANIEL ALEMAYEHU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 6 MAY 2022
