OPPORTUNITIES BLUEBERRY IN ETHIOPIA
Growing blueberries and producing sunflower oil are two of the biggest agricultural opportunities in Ethiopia, according to Nuradin Osman, founder and CEO of Grosso Foods, an Africa-focused agribusiness based in the Netherlands.
Due to its health benefits, the growing global demand for blueberries represents a "great opportunity" for Ethiopia, Osman said during the 2020 African Agri Council Food Investment Forum. Ethiopian Airlines' cargo division offers a large number of connections to every corner of the world, making Ethiopia a good place to export blueberries.
According to Osman, one of Ethiopia's advantages over a region such as West Africa is the presence of large areas of relatively free arable land. Therefore, investors do not have to commit substantial seed capital to clear the land of greenery. "You can start as early as day one preparing the land and planting crops," he explained.
FIRST EXPORTS IN 2022
In April 2022 Bahir Dar Fresh Plc, a private company engaged in fruit production and export, began exporting blueberries from Ethiopia to international markets, the Ethiopian Horticulture Exporters Association said.
This export is the first of its kind in Ethiopia, announced the Ethiopian Horticultural Producers Association (EHPEA).
Its director Fransisco said the company is achieving the best results in producing high-quality blueberries for the export market. The company will create 800 jobs and generate $2.5 million annually when it fully develops its 45-hectare farm in the next two years.
The fruits contribute significantly to Ethiopia's annual horticulture exports, which generated $531 million in revenue in the previous fiscal year 2020/2021.
INVESTMENT IN IRRIGATION WITH ISRAELI TECHNOLOGY
In June 2022, Water Ways Technologies Inc, an Israel-based global agricultural technology provider of water irrigation solutions to agricultural producers, announced that it has received an order to install a turnkey smart irrigation project for blueberries in Ethiopia.
This is the second phase of a project started in 2020 and delayed due to political turmoil in Ethiopia. Delivery and installation of the order is scheduled for the third quarter of 2022.
The total expected revenue from the order is approximately 200,000 Canadian dollars (about Eur 146,000 n.d.t.), which the Company expects to accrue in the third quarter of 2022.
Ohad Haber, president and CEO, commented, "Our business in Ethiopia is growing again. Smart irrigation of blueberries is becoming a major growth driver for Water Ways worldwide."
Source: Water Ways - Ethiopian Monitor - Blueberries Consulting
Blueberries Consulting is part of the global network of Italian Berry
Photo: detail of a Water Ways irrigation system made in China
