The Ethiopian Pulses, Oil-seeds and Spices Processors-Exporters Association (EPOSPEA) said it is aggressively working to expand and create new market linkages for pulses, oil-seeds and spices. This was disclosed at 4th international conference organized for industry leaders from around the world here yesterday.
In his opening remarks, President Dr. Mulatu Teshome said that Ethiopia is endowed with untapped and immense investment opportunities in the areas of agriculture with favourable climate which is suitable for the production of varieties of pulses, oil-seeds and spices.
According to the recent export performance data for the year 2013/14 fiscal year, the pulses, oil-seeds and spices sub-sector contributed 920 million USD to the Ethiopia’s export earnings with a share of over 28 per cent. This natural gift is compounded with considerable quantity and quality products that meets the standards of international market expectations, the president added.
With regards to the GTP sector goal, Dr. Mulatu said that the government has fully committed itself to take all measures that deemed necessary for attaining the target laid down in its first GTP which has targeted to increase the land coverage of the crops cultivated by these three sub-sectors.
Based on such coverage expansion plan, it has envisaged increasing the volume of the products and also has targeted to increase the exportable value of the sub-sector. In view of this, the government has put in place various sector-specific legal and policy as well as strategic frameworks. Among the different measures of the government, creating an enabling environment favourable for fostering the private sector engagements in the production, processing and exporting of the products of the sub-sector, he added.
Dr. Mulatu also called for investors to make use of the huge opportunities in the sub-sector like the available vast fertile cultivable land and the abundant and easily trainable and relatively cheaper labour force.
Association President Haile Berhe said that the conference was aimed at creating a platform for international buyers and national exporters to strengthen, expand existing and new market linkages and outlets so as to make the sector contribute to the overall development perspectives of the country. As the conference is an annual international event, it is very decisive for oil-seeds, pulses and spice exporters.
Trade State Minister Yacob Yala on his part part said that the objective of organizing the conference is to boost the sector and make stakeholders beneficial from the value chain economy. The government has designed viable development policies and strategies and the effective implementation of these policies and strategies in an integrated and comprehensive manner has made the country one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Ethiopia has adopted a series reform programmes to speed up its integration in the world economy.
Yacob added that the government has recognized the private sector as an engine of economic growth of the country and highly committed to enhance the sector development and private-public partnerships through providing effective industry associations and creating a forum for consultation between the private sector and the government.
Country Mission Director to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Dennis Weller said: “With more than four million Ethiopian smallholder farmers relying on the production of sesame and chickpea for their livelihood, developing these value chains is an important part of our programme. By increasing yields and exports, we are improving livelihoods of smallholder farmers and their families across Ethiopia.”
The pulses, oil seeds and spices sector is one of the largest components of Ethiopia’s agricultural sector and immensely contributes to the country’s economic growth, second to that of coffee. Ethiopia produces more than 400,000 metric tons of chickpea annually and is the six largest chickpea producer in the world.
[The Ethiopian Herald]