Spices production and marketing in Ethiopia: A review

Abstract

This paper attempts to describe the status, challenges and opportunities of spices production and marketing in Ethiopia. Ethiopia has enormous potential to produce and export various spice crops. The country mainly produces and exports; chillies, turmeric, ginger, black pepper, cumin, fenugreek, coriander and so forth. Inspite of the fact that the country has tremendous potential for various spices production, the subsector of spices had remained untapped and neglected and subsequently the level of production and share of spice crops of the total export earning of the country is at considerably low level. Hence, it is essential to describe the status, challenges and opportunities of spices sector in Ethiopia, for best uses of the potential and untapped spice crop resources. Among the various spices crops, chilli/hot pepper is the most commonly produced spices in Ethiopia. However, the production of ginger has devastated in 2013 on wards due to bacterial wilt epidemic and hence, turmeric occupies the large share of its production and exports. Similarly, the Ethiopian spice exports has showed a declining trend from 2013 on wards. This is mainly due to the disease that considerably affect ginger production and the rapid increasing domestic demand of spices. Hence, the share of spices export has been remained low compared to the country's total export earnings. Therefore, intervention and provide awareness for spices growers on using improved Tsegaye Shimelis ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tsegaye Shimelis Hordofa obtained his BSc in Plant Sciences and MSc in Horticulture from Haramaya University, Ethiopia, in the year 2015 and 2018, respectively. Currently he is Lecturer and Researcher at the School of Plant Sciences of Haramaya University. His key research interest is on development of improved production technologies, soil fertility management, organic farming, horticultural crops improvement and postharvest management of horticultural crops.

Morphological and Molecular Diversity of Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) Pathogenic Fungi in Chilga District, North Gondar, Ethiopia

“…It was among the crops that had been introduced and cultivated in Ethiopia in the 13th century (Jansen, 1981 ; Hegde and Hegde, 2014 ) and it is currently found growing in wider parts of the country for its fresh and dry rhizomes. It has a significant share in the export commodities of the country with a 0.4% world share (Shimelis, 2021 ). It was second most widely cultivated spice in Ethiopia next to chilies before it was devastated in 2013 onward due to disease epidemic (Ayenew et al, 2012 ; Shimelis, 2021 ).…”

Following in the footsteps of the successful spice farmers: Determinants of spice income in Tanzania

“…Spice production and trade plays a significant role in the economic development of many tropical developing nations, including Tanzania, Ethiopia, Indonesia, India and Brazil (Akyoo & Lazaro, 2008; Asfaw, 2020; Deribe, 2022; Goshme & Ayele, 2019; Hibistu, 2020; Maerere & Noort, 2014; Shimelis, 2021). In Tanzania, spice export has been a major contributor, as in 2020, spice foreign earnings export value amounted to USD 40.4 million (Nderitu, 2021).…”

Spice Production, Marketing, and Value Chain in Ethiopia

“…Ethiopia may be a country for many spices, such as korarima ( Aframomum corrorima ), long red pepper, dark cumin, white cumin/ministers weed, coriander, fenugreek, turmeric, sage, cinnamon, and ginger [ 3 ]. The different agroclimatic environment in Ethiopia underpins developing a wide assortment of crops in common and spice crops in particular.…”