- Earns over 1.6 million USD exporting avocados in seven-month
BY TAMERU REGASA
ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia has secured over 1.6 million USD through exporting avocados during the past seven months, so disclosed Ministry of Agriculture (MoA). MoA Fruit Development Desk Head Atlaw Anbelu told The Ethiopian that the country has exported over 1500 tons of avocado fruit to European and Middle East countries over the past seven months.
As to the head, about 161,471 hectares of land are under fruit production out of which over 30,587.74 hectares has been utilized for avocado production. “Such a promising move has paved the proper linkage with private investors through contract farming and out-growers scheme with a view to enhancing the development of the sector.”
It was learnt that the production of avocado has increased at an average of 42.7 percent over the last five years in the country. Explaining opportunities of the country to produce the fruit, Atlaw said that the congenial climatic and edaphic production conditions in Ethiopia have helped the country to be placed on a better platform to cultivate the product.
“The country has more than four million hectares of land that could be used for the production of irrigated fruit and vegetables, one is avocado, indeed!” As to him, special attention given to Cluster based Plantation and supportive Government Green legacy initiative, specifically for diversification of avocado plantation and other factors are attributable to widedn opportunities to enhance the production and productivity of avocado fruit.
Though Ethiopia has enormous potential to avocado fruit, the country has not yet been obtaining the required amount of income from the product as a result of lack of post-harvest handling technologies and facilities, low quality of seedlings and the like, The Ethiopian , moreover,learnt that poor access to formal credit for avocado growers, lack of specialised extension services on avocado, scattered an unorganized supply chain, lack of common packing and grading facilities, limited availability of foreign currency , underdeveloped market infrastructure are hindering factors.
Mentioning the supports given for producers of the fruit to enhance its production and productivity, he said that the government has provided smallholder avocado growers with extension and technical support, advisory and training service free of charge along the value chain. MoA has also organized smallholder farmers and coordinating their product to access direct market to wholesaler on local market.
In the efforts of linking smallholder farmers’ avocado products to international markets , the head pointed out that the government has facilitated condition to farmers to obtain fund for seedling multiplication programs free of charge. It was also noted that MoA has been involving in fruit nursery establishment and supporting cluster plantation of avocado, Organizing and strengthening farmers cooperatives and unions and distributing grafted avocado seedlings.
Concerning future direction regarding the issue under discussion, Atlaw stressed that the government has commitment to increase utilization of agricultural-mechanization in relation to avocado production and processing value chain. “The governement has also encouraged and supported the private sector investment in avocado sector through research and specialized agricultural extension.”
THE ETHIOPIAN FRIDAY 10 MARCH 2023
