Ethiopia Expects Much Larger Rice Production This Year: PM Abiy

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed revealed that this year's rice production is much larger than that of last year in Ethiopia.The government of Ethiopia has been intensifying the development of agricultural sector over the past few years as part of its ongoing multifaceted economic activities with a view to ensuring food security, import substitution and enhance export trade.Accordingly, the nation has registered remarkable achievements in the production of wheat which enabled the country stop the import of this crop.As a result, the country has achieved tremendous strides in wheat production, allowing it to cease the import this crop from abroad.Drawing lessons from the success in wheat production, Ethiopia has now been implementing rice development strategy as the nation has untapped potential in rice cultivation.According to Ministry of Agriculture, Ethiopia has a vast expanse of land for rice production but unfortunately we are still importing a considerable amount of rice.Currently, rice cult ivation is being carried out in several parts of Ethiopia including Oromia, Amhara, and Somali regions among others.Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on social media today that that this year's rice production is much larger than that of last year in Ethiopia.For instance, rice cultivation in the Oromia Region expanded to over 700,000 hectares in 2022/23 from the mere 6,000 hectares of rice cultivation three years ago. This year's target is even more ambitious: 1.5 million hectares, with over 1.28 million hectares already under cultivation.The rice cultivation launched for the first time on 3,000 hectares of land on experimental stage in Somali Region is expected to produce 45 quintals per hectare.It was indicated that p until 2022, Ethiopia was producing only 20 per cent of its rice national consumption but was importing 80 per cent from abroad but since last year; the country has managed to produce 50 percent of national rice consumption within the country. In two years' time Ethiopia will be able t o fully substitute imported rice by producing rice in the country.Rice has now become an important strategic crop in Ethiopia and is highly anticipated to help the country achieve the development of the National Rice Strategy Plan (2020-2030).Source: Ethiopian News Agency