Ethiopian Minister of Trade and Regional Integration, Kassahun Gofe, speaking at the International Conference on Pulses and Oilseeds, mentioned the opening of the market to foreign investment, the transition of the exchange rate system, and the prioritization of agro-industrial processing to boost value-added production and job creation.

Gofe emphasized that these key measures are designed to unlock the country’s considerable, yet still underutilized, potential in these products.

He revealed that pulses and oilseeds generated more than $610 million of Ethiopia’s total $8.3 billion in export revenue during the last fiscal year, representing 7.35 percent of national sales.

For his part, Edao Abdi, president of the Ethiopian Pulses and Oilseeds Exporters Association, stated that the two-day conference provides an important platform for advancing global agri-food systems.

Abdi also affirmed that it allows stakeholders to share data, strengthen coordination, and collaborate on developing a better value chain.

In this regard, he emphasized the need to support every stage of the value chain, from agricultural production to export, in order to improve product quality, sustainability, and traceability.

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