Addis ababa: An Indian investor, who is currently active in Ethiopia's agriculture sector, noted that Ethiopia holds immense potential for growth, particularly in agribusiness and export-oriented production. Gud Agro Plc Shareholder, Gajendra Singh Manpura, told ENA that his interest in Ethiopia was shaped by observations from other African markets, including South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia. He said Ethiopia stands out not only as a market in itself but also for its strategic position for exporting agricultural goods.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, his company, Gud Agro Plc., is centered on fresh fruits and vegetables, with a primary focus on avocado. Manpura highlighted that Ethiopia's location offers advantages because it is close to Europe and the Middle East, while also enabling shipments to India and parts of Asia. The investor added that although challenges remain, one key obstacle in agriculture is moving products efficiently-specifically transporting produce from farms to ports.
'I have realized that Ethiopia offers exceptional opportunity (in this regard) -not only as a large market in its own right, but also as a promising base for export growth.It is positioned close to Europe and the Middle East, making it well-suited for businesses focused on reaching global buyers,' Manpura stated. Furthermore, he indicated plans to expand into other crops, including bananas, and to explore the commercial potential of fresh vegetables, herbs, and berries such as strawberries and blueberries.
Manpura also revealed that the project has already invested approximately 500,000 USD and that he plans to triple the investment, raising it to around 1.5 million USD. 'We have invested in agriculture, mainly fresh fruits and vegetables. Our motive is to take fresh fruits and vegetables from Ethiopia and export to different parts of the world. .We are seriously working. We have invested around 500,000 US dollars, but we have planned to triple the same investment so it will go up to 1,500,000 US dollars,' he concluded.