Identification of opportunities and setting agenda of activities in the Ethiopian Fruits and Vegetables Sector, Wageningen, 2007
| Date completed | February 2007 | |
|---|---|---|
| Issues/challenges | Fruits and Vegetables (F&V) is not a new sector in Ethiopia as the production of these crops has been undertaken for decades. The sector comprises large state farms supplying fruits and vegetables to the local market and for exports. There are few private companies involved in the production of vegetables mainly for the European market. In addition, there are numerous small producers growing a small range of vegetables for the local and regional export market. Apart from tropical fruits and few selected vegetables like onions, cabbage and tomatoes, local demand for horticultural produce is minimal. As a result, the horticultural exports compete only in few products (i.e. tropical fruits, tomatoes, onions and cabbage) with domestic supply. On the other hand, there is limited domestic market demand for produce that does not meet the high export quality standards. In East African countries like Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, the domestic vegetable market is much larger which serves as a development base for vegetable exports. With regard to F&V three major supply channels can be distinguished: ¿ The domestic wholesale channel; ¿ F&V produced at two large state farms or by smallholders on irrigated plots for the markets in the Middle East and neighbouring countries, exported by truck, train and/or sea via Djibouti; ¿ F&V produced at two large state farms or by a few private companies on irrigated land for the European market and exported by air. The export volume and value of fruits has always been substantially lower than vegetables and it is directed mainly at Djibouti and the Middle East while exports of fruits to Europe are negligible. The main fruits produced and exported are bananas, citrus, grapes, mangoes, papaya and avocadoes. The main export markets for these Ethiopian fruits are Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Sudan. The majority of citrus production is still largely confined to state farms, but the productivity of their orchards is on the decline. The Ethiopian government (MoARD), sector organizations (EPHEA) and donors (USAID, SNV) have identified potentials for the further development of fruits and vegetable sector in Ethiopia both for the domestic and export market. Also in the Ethiopian-Netherlands Horticultural Partnership Programme, technical support to the development of the fruits and vegetable sector has been prioritized. A number of actors and donors have already started activities in the area of technical production assistance, post-harvest handling and compliance to international standards. | |
| Country(ies) | Ethiopia |
- Description
This report describes the findings of a mission with the following objectives:
- To get acquainted with the Ethiopian fruits and vegetable sector
- To get acquainted with the current and potential fruit and vegetable markets, both domestic and export oriented
- To determine Unique Selling Point of Ethiopian vegetable and fruit production and marketing
- To make an overview of existing initiatives and its results by various actors
- To determine potential product-market-combinations for exports of fresh and processed fruits and vegetables from Ethiopia
- To formulate a plan of activities for Dutch support and identify possible linkages with existing initiatives
Identification of opportunities and setting agenda of activities in the Ethiopian Fruits and Vegetables Sector (352 kB)