Ethiopia has favorable conditions for most of the popular fruits ranging from apple, avocado, strawberry, orange, pineapple, banana, lemon, papaya, mango, watermelon and more. Like other crops and vegetables, most of these fruits are grown by smallholder farmers. In recent years, especially after the country opened its door for flower growers, several international companies have been engaged in production of fruits such as, strawberry targeting mainly export market.
Total fruits production of Ethiopia which was around 410,000 metric tons in 2005 has almost doubled in 2018 reaching 800,000 metric tons in 2018, according to data of the Central Statistics Agency (CSA).
However, most of the produce are consumed by the growers, while only less than 50,000 metric tons was sold, according to the August 2021 paper by Fantu Bachewe and Bart Minten from International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
In terms of the area covered with fruits, it has increased to about 120,000 hectares in 2028, from some 45,000 hectares in 2005. When it comes to productivity, it has declined to 7 metric tons per hectare in 2019 from around 9.4 metric tons per hectare in 2005, according the study.
During the first six months of the current budget years of Ethiopia started July 8, 2021, Ethiopia has earned about $9 million from export of fresh and dried fruits.
Source: newbusinessethiopia.com