Ministry designates over 25,000 hectares of land for tea development
(19 July 2007)
More than 25,000 hectares of land has been prepared in Gambella and Oromia States to attract local and foreign investors to tea plantation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said.
Project and Coffee Plant Improvement Coordinator with the Coffee, Tea and Spices Development Department of the Ministry, Alemayehu Teshome, announced that though tea plantation has been started in Ethiopia since 1936, the development has not yet exceeded 3,000 hectares currently.
Therefore, the government has conducted studies since 2006 and prepared over 25,000 hectares of land in Gambella and Oromia states where many local and foreign investors can be involved.
According to Alemayehu, at present not more than 6,000 tons of tea, of which 70 percent is consumed locally, is being produced on average annually on 3,000 hectares of land in Gumero, Wushwush and Chewaka areas.
Following efforts made to promote tea development in the country, an Indian company, the second largest supplier of Tea for the global market, has received 10,000 hectares of the land designated for tea development, Alemayehu indicated.
Efforts are underway to grant the remaining 15,000 hectares of land, the head said, adding that the department has been providing capacity building training, seedlings and other important supports to enhance the productivity of farmers and investors.