By our staff reporter

The Ethiopian Shipping and Logistics (ESL) discloses that in less than two weeks, 67,000 metric tons of fertilizer has been conveyed to the country through various inland modes of transportation.

As the government continues to strategize to ensure timely supply of the commodity during the 2023/24 farming seasons, it was revealed that the administration had made an early purchase during the current budget year.

In less than two weeks, fertilizer cargo from two ships has already reached the country, according to information Capital acquired from ESL.

According to Siraj Abdulahi, ESL’s Deputy CEO for Service Enterprise, 67,345 metric tons of fertilizer was carried to Ethiopia in the past 14 days window.

He went on to say that of the claimed tonnage carried by two vessels, 10,360 metric tons were transferred by rail.

Sofia Kassa, State Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, stated that two vessels carrying about 51,000 and 31,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer each have arrived in Djibouti port, and that “the majority of the consignment has already been transported to the country.”

She told Capital that during the fiscal year, the government took the initiative to acquire fertilizer early in order to feed farmers for the next three farming seasons.

“We are supplying the fertilizer for the current dry season farming that is carried on irrigation scheme, and the upcoming farming seasons, Belge and Meher, which the latter is the major rainy season,” she continued.

She said that some of the other vessels carrying fertilizer consignments are at the loading port, while others are en route to a port in Djibouti.

Six vessels will arrive in Djibouti ports between the end of November and the beginning of December, according to Siraj.

“At this point, two ports in Djibouti City and its surroundings can handle six vessels at a time, so the consignment will be discharged  and transported without any breaks,” he said Capital.

Ethiopian fertilizer gets shipped to port destinations such as SDTV, the oldest port facility in the center of Djibouti, and DMP, the largest port facility, which is situated in Doraleh, on the outskirts of the city.

The government has set a goal to import 23 million tons of various types of fertilizer throughout the current crop seasons.

In an exclusive interview with Capital, Berisso Amallo, CEO of ESL, applauded the efforts of all parties in the collaboration and consignment procurement procedure.

“The government’s commitment is necessary to expedite fertilizer purchases,” Berisso stated, adding, “This has allowed us to transport the cargo and distribute it to farmers on time.”