A factory which manufactures PP Bags, built by the Becho-Weliso Farmers' Cooperative Union at a cost of 21.7 million birr, was inaugurated on Sunday, 5 June 2011 in Tulu-Bolo. The Factory has created job opportunity for 179 people.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony President Girma Wolde-Giorgis urged members of union and the surrounding community to exploit the natural potential of the area. The President also underlined the importance of the PP Bags factory in meeting the needs of the farmers and the demands of other agro-processing unions for bags.  

The president noted that the area was more suitable for wheat production (which had not yet been exploited properly) than other kinds of crop. Farm lands in the area are divided into small plots which, when merged and worked on with mechanized farming, could produce greater yield.

Yaregal Ayisheshum, director general of the Federal Cooperative Agency, said strengthening cooperatives was one of the development strategies being implemented to reduce poverty. The number of cooperative unions all over the country taking pat in developmet activities has now reached about 245.    

Dejene Hirpha, manager of the union said that the unionwhose capital was 140,000 birr when it was founded in 2000, had now grown to 33 million birr.  

It has been participating in the provision of agricultural inputs and credit, purchase and sale of crops, distribution of basic commodities, social services and other activities. The union has earned more than 1.8 million birr in the current fiscal year.  

Moreover, Dejene pointed out that the union was planning to run mechanized irrigation development to utilize underground and surface water in the area.  

Source: Ethiopian Press Agency