Day: May 11, 2019

Predicating upon a binding document sent to horticultural farms couple of months ago by the Federal Commission of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, member farms and Commission officials came together at EHPEA Hall in Addis Ababa on Tuesday taking advantage of deliberation platform created by EHPEA.

During the deliberation representatives of various horticulture farms have voiced their concerns mentioning that a “binding document” issued to farms on environmental matters was not timely and appropriate. “The Commission shouldn’t have dispatched the document without putting any precondition and providing support ahead of time. Support and teaching as well as discussions should have been given precedence over warning.”

Participants who attended the meeting on behalf of their farms indicated that it takes adequate time and budget to fully implement the Code of Conduct and that the Commission is expected to extend awareness creation and follow-through on progress among the farms even if punishments are found to be necessary. It was also noted during the discussion that ‘big misconception which regards floriculture as a threat should be rectified.’

A participant on behalf of Red Fox PLC on the occasion said that the job opportunities and hard currency generation by the farms should not be taken for granted. “Our company has more than 2,500 employees and we pay up to two million birr every month. Floriculture farms are making significant contribution to the country’s income generation and tax. Thus, we deserve assistance from the government.”

Similarly, Florensis Ethiopia representative pointed out that although the company has made strides towards applying the Code of Conduct which was designed jointly by the Commission and EHPEA, the procedure and reporting of Environment Audit manually has posed a challenge.

Representative of Olij Roses also noted that as the government is inviting new foreign investors to engage in the horticulture sector, a clear-cut regulation has to be in place first and foremost.

Dugda Farm member during the discussion also made a point that even if some farms have made improvements even after the Commission’s binding document, no supervisor or auditor has returned to examine possible progress on farms environmental protection activities. Comments and suggestions were provided at one time but we have not seen any one who appeared for follow up and/or supervision in the last two months.

Responding to the questions and suggestions of the Farms, Commission representative said that no company could have even met the bronze level had the Commission been strict on the Code of Conduct. “We have tried level best to give support to the farms instead of urging them to entirely apply the Code.”

A prominent Fruit & Veg Professional Show in Italy, Macfrut Exhibition, was concluded Friday May 10, 2019.
Macfrut 2019 African Pavilion was officially inaugurated at Ethiopia’s stand in Rimini Expo Centre by H.E. Emanuela Del Re, Italian Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Five EHPEA member farms that exhibited their products at the Expo also participated in a B2B sessions, study tour and training on how to get access to finance from Italy.
Involving exhibitors from more than ten sectors besides fruit and vegetable industry, the Show focused mainly on agriculture technology.
At the expo EHPEA member farms exhibited their products such as strawberry, table grapes, fine beans, asparagus and avocado, according to Yemisrach Birhanu, who took part in the show on behalf of EHPEA.

With the objective of assessing progress in policy framework on Integrated Pest Management the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA) and key stakeholders held a validation workshop in Adama late last week.

Agriculture State Minister Sani Redi said during the workshop that all necessary support would be provided in order to accelerate completion of the regulation which is due to be submitted to the Council of Ministers for approval.

The State Minister also noted that once the regulation is finalized and approved, the Ministry will give attention to devising a directive which suits the interests and priorities of the horticulture sector.

Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association Executive Director Tewodros Zewdie remarked on the occasion that EHPEA’s collaborative effort with the Ministry and other relevant governmental offices will be upheld even after the regulation is approved. “EHPEA will contribute to the effort being made to improving agricultural production and productivity through giving due emphasis to quality export in the horticulture sector. “

EHPEA, being a signatory of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPCC), is expected to have a comprehensive quarantine regulation which encompasses a wide ranging points mainly issues related with bio-agent.

Representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ethiopian Agricultural Research Institute, Regional State Agricultural Bureaus, Regional Agricultural Institutions, Regional Quarantine Offices, Universities, Input suppliers and Commercial farms were in attendance.

Turkish Airlines, which recently moved its airport from Ataturk to Istanbul, will begin flying cargo planes to Addis Ababa.
Turkish flies to 56 African destinations which is the second highest next to Ethiopian and their desire to increase their market in Africa even further. Company officials who met with Ethiopian journalists at the Istanbul headquarters stated that Africa remains the priority for Turkish Airlines, as the air carrier expands to all four corners of the world. They said that aviation would continue growing in the future and Turkish would grow more than the global trend.

As of April 6 the airlines began using the newly built ultra-modern Istanbul Airport replacing their older hub at Ataturk Airport. Once completed in 2027, the Istanbul airport is expected to be the busiest airport in the world with six runways and four terminals that can accommodate 200 million passengers a year.
Tuncay Eminoglu, Vice President for Asia and Far East at Turkish Airlines says they have gone from 162 planes and 3 million passengers in 2003 to 515 aircraft and 30 million passengers in 2018. In the decade between 2008 and 2018 they experienced a passenger growth rate of 12.8 percent, three times the world’s average.

By 2023 Turkish hopes to serve 140 million passengers. Currently, according to 2017 International Air Transport Association (IATA) statistics the Airline serves the 17th highest number of flyers in the world but according to Eminoglu, by 2032 they expect to be in the top ten. The IATA forecasted in 2018, that China, the US, India and Indonesia would be the fastest growing countries in terms of passengers.
Turkey is rapidly transporting more passengers and cargo so the new airport will be able to serve the highest number of passengers in the world, park 500 planes, feature 500 check-in points and accommodate 143 boarding bridges. The 700,000sqm airport will also have the largest maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) in the world.
At the new airport the aviation firm manages three run ways and they expect to serve 90 million passengers this year and carry 2.5 million tons of cargo. The project has three phases and each phase will increase cargo capacity by 5.5 million tons. By the end of the project the number of passengers would double to 200 million. The company officials explained that by 2025, the aviation sector will contribute 4.9 percent to the GDP and 225,000 jobs. When the airport is finished it will have six runways and four terminals.

Istanbul, which attracts tourists from around the world with its vast historic and cultural heritages and natural location that divides Europe with Asia. In 2017 the country was visited by 40 million tourists, the seventh most in the world.