Ethiopia has lost about 25 million USD from the gardening hoagie - sector since the irruption of the globose COVID-19 , according to the Ethiopian Horticulture Producer - Exporters Association .
Ethiopian Horticulture Producer - Exporters Association ( EHPEA ) Executive Director , Tewodros Zewdie say even if “ particular appraisals are go on , preliminary judgment show that about 25 million USD has been compromised or lose due to COVID-19 . ”
The months February to May are see peak time of year for blossom export , he express , adding that “ we can ( therefore ) say that this year ’s tiptop season has been compromised a portion . But we are exerting relentless efforts to minimise the impact and not to lie off workers . ”According to him , “ a number of adverse impacts have been observe in the horticulture supplying range of mountains after the Second Coming of Coronavirus pandemic . ”
Countries have shut down their edge and airlines interrupted operations . These inhibited the free drift of export products .
Moreover , “ we are dealing with perishable products that should be on the ledge of supermarkets as soon as possible . This require fresh perishable logistics and at the same fourth dimension gratuitous bowel movement of goods from one molding to the other , ” the executive conductor elaborated .
Tewodros pointed out that everything was compromised as the telephone number of end user and customers were all in lockdown and not accessing the products . This had inauspicious branching on companies operating in Ethiopia . “It was a sort of experiential challenge for them , ” he noted , detailing that they [ horticulture companies ] had to finance a routine of costs like toll of labor , fertiliser , and chemicals without sales return .
Rescheduling camber loan , financing interests on master loan , and impermanent suspension of the 3.8 dollar sign payment for every kilogram flower exported are among the encouraging measures taken by the government , Tewodros manoeuvre out .
The executive director stated that horticulture companies had not been earning income while they paid salaries to workers . Thus the support extended by the politics through the provision of working capital loan is appreciable , he allege .
Tewodros stressed that “ repose off these doer is compromise the overall existence of the industry . ” The workers on paysheet are the spine of the industry as a lot has been endue on their skills .
Generally , concerted crusade are decisive to mitigate the adverse ramification of the pandemic , he noted , further say that “ this sector has prove successful in Ethiopia . Even if it is quite young , it has scored glittering success in the last 10 years . So the risk looming on the hoagy - sphere should be managed in a prudent and hard-nosed manner in order not to mislay the positivist dribble downs to the thriftiness as well . ”
The executive managing director emphasise that the sub - sphere is bring 100 of millions of dollars to the state . On top of that about 80 percent of its manpower is women .
Therefore , addressing the challenge of the zep - sphere is guarantee the wellbeing of those that are benefiting straightaway or indirectly from horticulture , according to him ,
luckily , as a number of European countries like Germany , Switzerland and others have now started opening up “ there will be an increase in terms of volume of export . ”
Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association has 126 extremity companies , about 99 percent of which are active manufacturer - exporter of cut flowers , fruit and vegetables .
Horticulture is one of the top five export wage earner in Ethiopia .
