Category: Our News

Building on the momentum of recent national strategic dialogues highlighting Ethiopia’s fruit export potential, the Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA), in collaboration with PUM Netherlands, has launched a targeted technical training program focused on banana postharvest handling and smart cold chain management.

Hosted in Arba Minch, South Ethiopia Region, one of the country’s major banana production clusters, the initiative is designed to translate high-level conference resolutions into field-level execution, addressing critical bottlenecks in the fruit supply chain from farm-gate harvesting to export-market delivery.

While the region boasts immense potential for commercial banana production, postharvest losses and cold chain vulnerabilities have historically constrained large-scale export growth. The joint EHPEA-PUM training directly targets these challenges by equipping regional producers, farm supervisors, and extension workers with hands-on expertise through a dynamic blend of indoor technical sessions and practical field visits to local farms.

Core components of the program include implementing precise protocols during de-handing, washing, and packaging to prevent mechanical bruising and latex staining; managing pulp temperatures, pre-cooling techniques, and climate-controlled transport to prevent premature ripening during transit; and aligning grading, sizing, and packaging practices with stringent international market requirements.

The collaboration forms a vital part of EHPEA’s broader capacity-building roadmap, working alongside international agricultural experts to bridge the gap between local farming practices and global market compliance.

Taking training participants directly to the production sites and packing lines of Arba Minch for immersive field demonstrations, the program ensures that teams can immediately integrate standardized quality management and hygiene protocols into their daily operations.

As Ethiopia continues to position itself as an emerging powerhouse in regional and global fruit trade, such targeted interventions in key production hubs mark a significant step toward securing higher export revenues, reducing food loss, and ensuring sustainable livelihoods across the agricultural value chain.

National Conference on Banana deliberates on ways of unleashing Ethiopia’s banana potential through enhanced product quality and addressing key issues within the industry, thereby boosting export revenues and enhancing decent employment opportunities among other socio-economic gains.

Organized by the Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA) under the theme – ‘From Bunches to Breakthrough”, the National Conference on Banana is going on at Hilton Hotel in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa.

The one-day Conference brings more than 200 participants together from across the agricultural, particularly the banana value chain, including agricultural experts, horticulturalists, producers, exporters, cooperatives, financial institutions, research and academic institutions, development partners, and other actors.

Featuring presentations and panel discussions with top-notch speakers and industry specialists, the Conference dwells upon the current status of Ethiopia’s banana industry, reviews global banana market trends, charts out ways to address supply chain hurdles and post-harvest handling as well as to expand export opportunities for the country’s high-value banana products.

Officially opening the Conference, H.E. Dr. Sofia Kassa, State Minister of Agricultural Investment and Input Supply Development Sector at the Ministry of Agriculture, underlined on the need to drive collective and committed efforts to achieve breakthrough in the banana industry through strengthened quality compliance to international standards and expanding the access to finance, among other strategic interventions.

“Breakthrough will not happen by production efforts alone. It requires us to address, with combined efforts and commitment, the real challenges that stand between our farms and the global marketplace,” said the State Minister.

To effectively drive the growth of Ethiopia’s horticulture and strengthening its value chain in the country, the Government has been taking favorable measures through sectoral policy frameworks and supportive initiatives, including the 10-Year National Horticulture Strategy launched by the Ministry exactly this time last year, noted the State Minister.

H.E. Dr. Sofia reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to working hand in hand with EHPEA, producers and exporters, development partners, and the financial and research communities, to translate the outcomes of the Conference into real policy action and committed investment on the ground.

The one-day Conference has brought more than 200 participants together from across the agricultural, particularly the banana value chain to primarily deliberate on ways of unleashing the country’s potential and positioning Ethiopia as global banana export powerhouse.

In his welcoming remarks, the EHPEA Executive Director Tewodros Zewdie noted that the Conference has been organized with focus on identifying local and global opportunities, laying strategies for improving production, research impact and further commercialization of the banana crop.

EHPEA spearheads strategic initiatives and interventions to support the successful implementation of such relevant polices and promote the subsector, ensuring robust and sustainable horticulture in Ethiopia that generates increased hard currencies and creates decent jobs for citizens.

Tewodros said the Association has been undertaking series of consultative platforms and capacity building interventions with the Ministry of Agriculture and its partners, reinforcing the efforts geared towards releasing the potential in the horticulture industry.

Presentations were made on pertinent topics including among others, banana production and research in Ethiopia, global banana industry, smart cold chain logistics, and the role of private sector in banana industry.
The Conference is accompanied by mini-exhibition displaying products and businesses along the banana value chain.

A Regional development enterprise today announced horticultural investment opportunities in Oromia Regional State, offered through public entity-private sector joint venture (JV) arrangements to accelerate Ethiopia’s horticultural growth, thereby boosting the subsector’s foreign currency earnings and enhancing decent job creation.

The Oromia Forest and Wildlife Enterprise (OFWE), which is engaged in conservation and economic activities, communicated the investment scheme to the members of the Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA) at an event organized on the premises of the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) in the capital Addis Ababa.

The proposed JV framework combines land resources of OFWE with private investment capital and operations to develop high value high land horticultural crops and strategically drive the country’s horticultural growth.

The partnership is designed to be implemented in a manner that ensures mutually beneficial partnership, also fostering multifaceted opportunities for the local communities.

In his opening remarks, Desalegn Teshale, State Minister of Agriculture and Horticulture Development, noted that the Government attaches great importance to the subsector to properly utilize the country’s horticulture potential and further enhance its economic and social gains.

OFWE oversees millions of hectares of natural resources, plantation forests, and wildlife conservation zones within the Oromia Region, of which 99 percent is for conservation while the remaining one percent is utilized for economic activities.

In his presentation of the JV investment opportunities on high value high land horticultural crops, Ararsa Ragassa, OFWE Director General, said that 3,000 hectares of land, scalable to 5,000 hectares, is immediately available in strategic locations near to Addis Ababa.

The identified locations in different parts of the Region are very near to Addis Ababa, primarily with eucalyptus trees being developed for economic activities.

Co-chairing the discussion on the occasion, Abera Worku, CEO of Oromia Agro Group, said the initiative is in line with the Regional Government’s commitment to strategically supporting and promoting the country’s horticulture industry which has multifarious economic and social impacts.

He noted that it is designed, based on the direction from the Regional Government, to address land demand for horticultural investment without affecting farmers and local livelihoods, but through thoughtful and strategic approach that avoids previously experienced bottlenecks, negative perceptions and squabbles.

Reiterating that the initiative is a milestone in the country’s horticulture sector, Tewodros Zewdie, EHPEA Executive Director, said more than 80 percent of the country’s horticultural operation is in Oromia Region, signifying the importance of the Region as far as the horticulture sector is concerned.

The identified areas being in Sheger City and other locations very close to Addis Ababa make the initiative ideal for horticultural investment which requires smart and efficient agro-logistic setup, noted the Executive Director.

Hailing the Regional Government’s commitment to promoting the industry through such bold measures, Tewodros underlined on the need to put the initiative forward as it addresses several important issues including compensation payment, land title deeds and tenure among other procedures, and thereby creating fertile ground for smooth investment towards win-win outcomes.

Appreciating the initiative during the discussion, Nega Mequanint, EHPEA Board Chair, underlined on the need to utilize the opportunities through engaging discussion with the Enterprise on ways of putting the proposed partnership forward.

Holeta Polytechnic College (HPC) and horticultural farms today signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) formalizing a strategic collaboration and partnership between the commercial farms and the College towards mutually beneficial engagement through exchanges and leveraging reciprocally-owned resources.

The Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA) has been spearheading and dedicatedly supporting initiatives that foster TVET-industry linkage meant to effectively cultivate the country’s horticultural potential towards enhanced gains out of the subsector.

EHPEA and the @Ministry of Labor and Skills (MoLS) recently initiated a course aimed to create potential collaboration and catalyze partnership between HPC and EHPEA Member Farms within the Holeta Cluster, in Oromia Regional State.

Through the facilitation and active engagement of the Association, the EHPEA Member Farms and the College have been conducting consultative meetings and exchanging sessions on ways of forging and underpinning a meaningful TVET-Industry linkage.

The strategic partnership inked today allows HPC and the commercial farms to share knowledge and experience, foster opportunities for apprenticeship and employment as well as to leverage reciprocally-owned resources among others.

Beeco Agro Industry PLC is advancing sustainable and modern horticulture in producing premium fresh strawberries for international markets, thereby contributing to Ethiopia’s economic growth and agricultural transformation among other positive social impacts.

Specializing in the production and export of premium fresh strawberries with its Farm in Holeta, Oromia Regional State, the Company is driving its horticultural operation through innovation, responsible farming, and strict adherence to international standards, thereby establishing itself as a trusted supplier of high-quality strawberries to global markets.

Guided by its motto, “From Ethiopia’s Fields to the World’s Tables,” Beeco operates on 24.6 hectares of land, with approximately 12 hectares currently under strawberry production using modern greenhouse and tunnel technologies.

Beeco is certified to internationally recognized standards, including GLOBALG.A.P., SMETA, BASIS, and FACT, demonstrating its commitment to food safety, environmental sustainability, ethical business practices, and workers welfare.

As part of EHPEA’s dedicated engagement in supporting Member Farms and promoting sustainable horticulture through various interventions, a team led by Tewodros Zewdie, Executive Director of the Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA), recently visited Beeco’s farm during a field tour to member farms in the Holeta Cluster.

“Continuous investment in improved varieties, precision irrigation, and modern crop management are among the key factors that have enabled the Company to deliver consistently high-quality fruit,” says Tamirat Adugna, General Manager and Co-Founder of Beeco Agro Industry PLC.

“Our mission is to produce world-class strawberries while contributing to sustainable economic development, environmental stewardship, and community well-being,” says the General Manager.

The Company currently employs 314 permanent staff, the majority of whom are women, and recruits more than 100 seasonal workers during peak periods, thereby increasing the number of workforce to nearly 500 people.

Beeco exports premium fresh strawberries to Singapore, Europe, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, and several African countries, generating foreign hard currencies while strengthening Ethiopia’s position in the global horticulture industry.

“Our priority is to improve productivity, expand export markets, and maintain the highest international standards of food safety, quality, and ethical business practices. We continuously introduce improved strawberry varieties to enhance yield, fruit quality, shelf life, and sustainability,” explains Tamirat.

Making Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) an integral part of its business philosophy, the Company has invested ETB 6.5 million in constructing a 1.5-kilometre gravel road, improving access for local communities and supporting the Holeta City Administration’s corridor development programs.

In addition, Beeco has provided clean drinking water to surrounding communities, and it supports school feeding programmes, while contributing to community health insurance initiatives, and participating in other social and environmental development activities.

“At Beeco Agro Industry PLC, we believe sustainable business success goes hand in hand with social responsibility,” says Tamirat, adding, “Through innovation, responsible farming, internationally recognized certifications, and strong community partnerships, we are committed to producing premium-quality strawberries while improving livelihoods and promoting Ethiopia as a trusted supplier of high-value horticultural products.”

A high-level consultative meeting was convened today on the premises of the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), deliberating on ways of increasing the performance of the country’s horticultural subsector.

Presided over by H.E. Dr. Sofia Kassa, State Minister of Agriculture, the meeting dwelt upon the achievements on the subsector performance and important issues already addressed and also the way forward to augment horticultural productivity and forex generation among other social and economic gains.

As a follow-up on a series engagement, the consultative meeting featured two presentations: the 2025/2026 Horticulture Subsector Performance and the Plan for the 2026/2027 budget year by Dr. Dereje Abebe, Lead Executive Officer of Agricultural Investment and Product Marketing at MoA; and recent achievements on important issues of the subsector and the way forward by Tewodros Zewdie, Executive Director of the Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA).

Stating that several measures have been taken with tangible results in important areas, the State Minister has reiterated her Ministry’s committed support to the horticulture subsector, paving ways and facilitating conducive environment for the private sector, and thereby collaboratively driving the growth of the industry.

Speaking during the discussion, Nega Mequanint, EHPEA Board Chair, commended the Ministry for its continued support in addressing spectrum of issues that are critical to the smooth business operation of the EHPEA Member Farms.

Hailing the role of the consultative meeting in identifying and discussing critical areas that require combined engagement, the Board Chair also underlined the need to employ committed joint efforts of all stakeholders to build on the achievements and address other issues towards realizing the expected gains out of the subsector.

Meeting participants brought up variety of pertinent issues and discussed them at length.