The tenth International HortiFlora Expo is scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa, from March 24 to 26, the Ethiopian Horticulture Producers and Exporters Association (EHPEA) announced over the weekend.
Jointly organised by EHPEA and HPP Worldwide, the expo is expected to bring together more than 150 local and international exhibitors from over 50 countries.
Horticulture is Ethiopia’s second-largest foreign exchange earner after coffee within the agricultural sector, generating $564.89 million in export revenue during the previous budget year, with flowers accounting for 80 percent of those earnings.
The sector is expected to see significant growth in exports of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and hybrid seeds following recent policy, regulatory, and directive reforms.
The three-day Expo will facilitate B2B, B2C, and B2G platforms, along with high-level forums covering topics including consumer trends and food safety, sustainable finance, sea freight, artificial intelligence and sustainability, market trends in fruits and vegetables, circular solutions, and gender and sustainability.
Speaking to APA, Tewodros Zewdie, executive director of the Ethiopian Horticulture Producers and Exporters Association (EHPEA) said Ethiopia eyes tapping into the massive horticultural market in China, through taking advantage of the zero-tariff policy the Chinese government has granted for 53 African countries, a senior expert said.
He said China’s zero tariffs preferential treatment will significantly enhance Ethiopia’s horticultural products export base and strengthen its overall trading system.
“The Chinese market provides hundreds of millions of potential buyers for products that are going from Africa and it was one of the critical players in the horticulture industry so it will help us expand our market destinations and unlock the full potential of Ethiopia to benefit from the Chinese market,” Zewdie told APA in an interview.
He said that China’s zero-tariff policy will also provide Ethiopia with a strong buffer against suspension from US trade privileges for African countries under the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA).
HortiFlora Expo has played a key role in establishing Ethiopia as Africa’s second-largest flower exporter and among the top five flower-exporting countries globally.
This year’s edition comes as Ethiopia launches its 15-year National Avocado Development Program and a 10-year National Horticulture Strategy, both designed to boost export earnings and create job opportunities while promoting agro-industrial processing through climate-smart and resource-efficient horticultural practices.
“This year’s HortiFlora Expo is going to be a unique experience as it will converge a multitude of local and international value and supply chain actors of horticulture at the expo,” Tewodros said, noting that the event will focus on sustainability, technological innovation, and strengthening global supply chains.
MG/as/APA