Ethiopia has secured over 600 million birr in flowers exports revenue over the past few years.
President of the Ethiopian Horticulture Producers and Exporters Association, Tsegaye Abebe told Ethiopian News Agency that the foreign currency the country is getting from export of flowers has been increasing 50 to 100 per cent annually.
The country has generated over 180 million birr from the sector during the previous year, Tsegaye said.
Due to expansion works on existing flower farms and increase in the number of investors engaging in the sector, the total export income from flowers is expected to double over the coming year, he added.
Currently, 39 flower farms are engaging in the floriculture industry, Tsegaye said, and added that the industry has so far created employment for 25,000 people. Though the government has placed due attention to the sector, shortage of construction materials and limited access to loan service from banks as well as poor infrastructure facilities are among the challenges faced by the sector, he added.
Since the new cargo terminal at the Bole International Airport has begun providing service for the shipment of flowers, problems which had been faced due to lack of air freight to transport the perishable products in time have come to be reduced.
Tsegaye also said agreement has been reached with officials of the Ethiopian Airlines (EAL) to charter cargo airplanes that will provide service for the flower sector. The Association has been exerting efforts to attract local investors to the sector, Tsegaye said and invited the Ethiopian Diaspora to come to their country and invest in the floriculture and horticulture sector.
Ethiopian flowers have won wide demand in the international market, the President said, and added that Ethiopia would become pioneer in the flower industry in Africa over the next few years. Reference.
President of the Ethiopian Horticulture Producers and Exporters Association, Tsegaye Abebe told Ethiopian News Agency that the foreign currency the country is getting from export of flowers has been increasing 50 to 100 per cent annually.
The country has generated over 180 million birr from the sector during the previous year, Tsegaye said.
Due to expansion works on existing flower farms and increase in the number of investors engaging in the sector, the total export income from flowers is expected to double over the coming year, he added.
Currently, 39 flower farms are engaging in the floriculture industry, Tsegaye said, and added that the industry has so far created employment for 25,000 people. Though the government has placed due attention to the sector, shortage of construction materials and limited access to loan service from banks as well as poor infrastructure facilities are among the challenges faced by the sector, he added.
Since the new cargo terminal at the Bole International Airport has begun providing service for the shipment of flowers, problems which had been faced due to lack of air freight to transport the perishable products in time have come to be reduced.
Tsegaye also said agreement has been reached with officials of the Ethiopian Airlines (EAL) to charter cargo airplanes that will provide service for the flower sector. The Association has been exerting efforts to attract local investors to the sector, Tsegaye said and invited the Ethiopian Diaspora to come to their country and invest in the floriculture and horticulture sector.
Ethiopian flowers have won wide demand in the international market, the President said, and added that Ethiopia would become pioneer in the flower industry in Africa over the next few years. Reference.
