Ethiopia is planning to increase the number of cargo flights and destinations of its main horticultural products such as fruits, flowers and vegetables according to Haileselassie Tekie, Director General of the Ethiopian Horticulture Development Agency.
The arrangement allows exporters to manage the costs of transportation with the government subsidizing the cargo said Haileselassie Tekie.
Ethiopian Airlines expects to deploy the new B777 freighter aircraft, with the capacity to handle 105 tons to carry fruits, flowers and vegetables according to a source.
The aircraft is also known for its low fuel consumption and long range flight capability.Ethiopian Airlines had previously deployed B747 aircraft for the transport of horticultural exports although the actual number of flights depended on the volume of products available for export at a given time. The airline currently runs 10 to 14 flights a week on average.
In related news plans are in place to launch horticultural development in various areas in Bahir Dar, Gondar, Debre Berhan, Raya and Mekelle with the aim of enhancing horticultural exports said Haileselassie.
The EHDA has earned 250 million US dollars in the just concluded fiscal year through the export of products to countries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North America.
However the export of horticulture products has so far been relatively lower than that of other commodities such as coffee and khat due to a range of challenges including infrastructural problems such as road connections, electric power supply and refrigeration and cool chain management noted the Director.
Source: Capital
