ADDIS ABABA- Ethiopia needs to ensure its agricultural products meet international quality standards to fully utilize the sector’s immense potential, actors in the area said.
Accordingly, Ethiopian Agricultural Authority Deputy Director General Wendale Habtamu stated that countries are implementing restrictive measures to prevent agricultural imports infected by insects. “The dynamic nature and globalization of markets have escalated the spread of these insects globally.”
As a result, countries are ratifying regulations that require Ethiopia to adhere to strict safety measures for its agricultural goods. Wendale stressed that failing to take such measures could result in a significant loss of agricultural export earnings.
The advancement of international trade over the past few decades has increased the transaction of agricultural commodities in the global market. This has prompted countries to apply restrictive regulations to inhibit the entry of insects along with agricultural products, he explained.
However, international laws ratified to inspect the safety of agricultural products present challenges for export items. For instance, the European Union has announced it will not import coffee linked to deforestation. The deputy director general also mentioned that these countries are considering ratifying more laws in the next three years that would require Ethiopia to reduce agricultural chemical usage, including fertilizers, by 50 percent.
“Ethiopians must understand these laws and work on increasing productivity while adhering to the standards.”
Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA) Director General Tewodros Zewde for his part noted that various laws are being enacted to control the quality of products. European countries, for example, have increased their inspection level from 5 to 25 percent, which could tighten further if Ethiopia fails to take strong measures to improve the quality of its agricultural products.
Tewodros warned that without attention to these regulations, the agriculture industry might face significant challenges. He suggested that Ethiopia could learn from countries like the Netherlands about inspection practices, noting that the Netherlands is a major cut flower receiving country with notable agricultural research institutions.
Although Ethiopia earns not more than 100 million USD from the horticulture industry, which has a global market worth trillions, it has created a wide market in cut flowers. Ethiopia has abundant water resources, annual sunlight, and a productive human resource base with an agricultural background. Its geographic location is also advantageous, being close to the Middle East and European markets.
To capitalize on these opportunities, Ethiopia should focus on supplying products that meet market demands. Tewodros suggested raising awareness regarding safety measures and implementing systems to meet international quality standards.
BY STAFF REPORTER
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 4 JULY 2024
