In the lead up to February 14th, Ethiopian Airlines is shipping Valentine’s flowers from the country to different international market destinations.
As the major player in horticulture value chain which requires smart and efficient agro-logistics set up, the Ethiopian Airlines is actively collaborating with the Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association – EHPEA and flower farms in exporting thousands of tons of flowers for the annual Valentine’s season.
The Airline is heavily engaged every year with increased freighter flights in transporting Ethiopia’s premium flowers for Valentine’s Day uplifting primarily from Addis Ababa and Bahir Dar to international destinations of Europe, U.S.A, UK, Middle East, Asia and African markets.
Flower accounted 80% of Ethiopia’s horticulture export revenue of 564.89 millions U.S. dollars in the previous fiscal year (2024/25). Ethiopian Airlines shipped approximately 4200 tons of Valentine’s flowers in 2025.
EHPEA Executive Director Tewodros Zewdie commends the Ethiopian Airlines for its indispensable role in the export of Ethiopia’s high-value horticulture with quality service reinforced by high-tech cold chain facilities, cargo freighters and staff of high standard professionalism. “All management and staff of Ethiopian cargo are known for being epitome of professionalism,” he underscores.
Stating that it is an exemplary partnership wherein Ethiopian Airlines demonstrates unwavering solidarity to the industry, the Executive Director says, “It can be dubbed as a symbiotic relationship between Ethiopian Airlines Group and the horticulture export industry that expedited the development of the industry from Grass to Grace.”
As part of the on-going efforts to strengthening partnership between the Ethiopian Airlines and the horticulture industry, EHPEA has recently facilitated site visits for a team from the Cargo Service to some farms in Bishoftu town. `
The visit helps in showcasing sustainable high-tech farming practices, advanced packaging and on-site cold storage systems, while fostering exchanges, partnerships, and a shared commitment to supporting Ethiopia’s growing horticulture export sector.
Such tours allow ET Cargo Service staff to have first-hand insights into the peculiar characteristics of the industry and the meticulous farming and post-harvest activities carried out by ensuring flawless operations for high quality export, says EHPEA Executive Director, adding, “Visit programs help to co-innovate joint interventions and solutions to create a win-win scenario for the airline and the industry.”
The tours embrace the high-tech driven JoyTech and Yasin Legesse Farms
JoyTech Chief Operating Officer Bisrat Haileselassie and Yasin Legesse Farm Manager Atire Zewdie hail the field visits by Ethiopia cargo staff as it helps in showcasing farms’ meticulous and arduous operation on crop production, post-harvest handling, including advanced packaging and high-tech cold storage facilities.
It also allows face-to-face interaction with Cargo staff to communicate the Farm’s on-site workload and needs, particularly issues related to space for shipment, while fostering collaboration and long-term mutual benefits as it enables joint interventions of addressing issues related to logistics, maintaining product quality and export efficiency, according to the representatives of the Farms.
Such direct engagement and communication between EHPEA members and the Airlines is crucial for managing the tight, time-sensitive nature of perishable cargo, thereby enhancing supply chain efficiency, reducing costs, and ensuring high-quality product export, says Bethlehem Abel, Global Cargo Sales and Services Director at Ethiopian Airlines.
