Addis Ababa: The horticulture sector plays a significant role in Ethiopia’s economy. The African nation received more than $216 million from horticultural crop exports in the first five months of the current fiscal year, as per the report of the Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration. Overall, Ethiopia exported over 39,225 tonnes of flowers, earning above $186 million. It makes it clear that flowers play a key role in the contribution of Ethiopia’s horticulture export revenue. Several nations, such as the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom, are the major procurers of Ethiopia’s flower.
Besides flowers, Ethiopia also exported more than 71,305 tonnes of fruits and vegetables, getting above $30 million during this period. Somalia, Djibouti, and the Netherlands are the key purchasers of Ethiopia’s fruits. Therefore, Ethiopia earned $2.63 billion in export revenue during the first six months in which horticulture products have been playing a vital role.
The Ethiopian government focuses on the adequate farming of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and other plants. Such crops need extra care for getting quality growth and high produce. It is needless to add that horticultural crops often face the threat of bacterial and viral diseases, which sometimes lead to huge losses.
To overcome such issues, the Horticulture Department has been trying to develop modern techniques such as genetic engineering, chemical treatments of plants, and improved crop varieties to shield the crops from diseases and increase production as well to support the economy of the country. The growth of Ethiopia’s horticulture is immense, contributing a lot in the nation’s economy.
