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EU considers ban on Ethiopian flowers amid FCM concerns

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EU considers ban on Ethiopian flowers amid FCM concerns

By Eyasu Zekarias

Ethiopia’s flower industry, the second largest foreign exchange earner after coffee, is at risk of suffering significant setbacks due to the presence of the False Codling Moth (FCM). According to recent data, the sector was projected to earn $600 million USD from exported flower products in the 2022/23 fiscal year. Notably, Ethiopia, along with Kenya, Ecuador, Vietnam, and the Netherlands, is a major supplier of flower products to the European market.

The European Union Plant Health Unit of DG Sante has made a decision requiring stringent procedures for flower products from European Union countries due to the potential introduction of the FCM, a destructive pest. The Ethiopian Agriculture Authority has acknowledged that the FCM is already prevalent in the country. However, when the pest is transported to European countries, changes in environmental conditions can cause it to become a disease, exacerbating the problem.

Experts in the field emphasize that eradicating the FCM from Ethiopia is a challenging task that demands immediate attention. In response, the Ethiopian Agricultural Authority has initiated discussions with horticulture producer exporters to explore potential solutions and administrative measures.

Unfortunately, a recent report from the European Union, which receives 85 to 90 percent of Ethiopia’s flower production, highlights the significant challenges that lie ahead. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has issued a report regarding the presence of the FCM on flowers since 2018. As a consequence, European countries have warned that imports of flower products from Ethiopia will be halted unless they receive confirmation that the goods are free from FCM.

Diriba Kuma, the Director General of the Ethiopian Agriculture Authority, expressed concern that this decision could have devastating consequences for the country’s flower industry. Although there are approximately 50 players in Ethiopia’s flower industry, FCM has been detected on seven farm stations, resulting in the quarantine of those facilities in European countries.

In recent years, shipments of roses from Ethiopia to Europe have been intercepted due to the presence of FCM. European regulations dictate that the detection of a single living FCM at any stage of development within a shipment leads to the rejection of the entire consignment. FCM is included on the European Commission’s list of harmful organisms recommended for regulation as quarantine pests to prevent its introduction into Europe, where it poses a threat to various outdoor and glasshouse crops.

Prior to the establishment of the Ethiopian Agricultural Authority, horticulture farms in Ethiopia were not subject to strict control measures. Producers and exporters were responsible for self-monitoring and sending their products to foreign markets. However, with the establishment of the authority, the government has now taken an active role in controlling all agricultural products.

Under the newly approved European Union law, the inspection rate for rose consignments has increased from 5 percent to 25 percent due to the growing concerns surrounding FCM. Consequently, any consignment of roses entering the European Union will now undergo a 25 percent inspection. If FCM is found in more than 25 percent of the inspected consignments, the inspection rate may be further increased.

Diriba Kuma, Director General of the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture, has emphasized that while the FCM cannot be eradicated in Ethiopia, it can be prevented. He suggests two options for prevention: either prohibiting the entry of the pest into greenhouses or implementing strict control measures. However, a complete ban on FCM could potentially have adverse effects on the national interest.

The False Codling Moth (FCM), also known as Thaumatotibia leucotreta, is a native pest to sub-Saharan Africa and affects over 70 host plants, including roses, citrus fruits, peppers, and maize. Controlling this pest is challenging due to its wide range of hosts. FCM is not only present in Ethiopia but also in Kenya and several islands in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, such as Mauritius and Cape Verde.

Revolutionizing coffee distribution in Africa

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Revolutionizing coffee distribution in Africa

Lilian Babirye, the Country Manager of MSC Uganda, has emerged as a leading figure in the logistics sector, particularly in optimizing coffee distribution across Africa. With a career spanning over two decades, Babirye’s journey from an office assistant to a key executive reflects her commitment to excellence and innovation in the field of logistics.

Under her leadership, MSC Uganda has undertaken initiatives to streamline coffee distribution processes, leveraging advanced technology and strategic partnerships to enhance efficiency and quality. Babirye’s insights shed light on the challenges and opportunities in coffee distribution and the transformative impact of logistics solutions in the industry.

Babirye emphasizes the importance of specialized containers and tracking devices in maintaining coffee quality during transportation. MSC’s food-grade containers, equipped with ventilation and tracking devices, ensure that coffee beans remain fresh and uncontaminated throughout the journey. Additionally, the implementation of an online booking system has streamlined the booking process, providing transparency and efficiency for shippers and forwarders alike.

Despite the benefits of streamlined logistics, Babirye acknowledges the challenges involved in ensuring timely coffee shipments from key ports. Infrastructure limitations and import regulations pose significant hurdles, impacting schedule reliability and supply chain efficiency. However, Babirye remains optimistic about the potential of initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) to bolster regional trade networks and support the growth of African businesses.

Babirye highlights innovative approaches such as smart containers, which enable real-time monitoring of cargo conditions, including temperature and humidity levels. By leveraging technology, coffee professionals can ensure the integrity and quality of coffee beans throughout the transportation process, ultimately enhancing the export potential of African coffee.

As the African coffee industry continues to evolve, Babirye emphasizes the pivotal role of logistics in optimizing distribution and export processes. While challenges persist, including trade barriers and competition among coffee-producing countries, Babirye remains committed to driving innovation and efficiency in coffee logistics, thereby contributing to the growth and sustainability of the industry.

Through her strategic leadership and unwavering dedication, Lilian Babirye is spearheading a logistics revolution in the African coffee sector, empowering businesses and fostering economic growth across the continent. Excerpts;

Capital: What are some effective strategies for optimizing coffee distribution in producer countries?

Lilian Babirye: Optimising coffee distribution in producer countries requires effective strategies that encompass various aspects of logistics. One such strategy is the establishment of a robust presence, exemplified by MSC’s collaboration with major stakeholders in the logistics chain. Through this collaboration, MSC provides essential equipment, documentation, and logistical services, facilitating the extended distribution of coffee worldwide. As part of this effort, MSC has implemented several initiatives:

  • MSC has established three equipment yards in Uganda and two in Kenya. These yards have a significant capacity, capable of holding approximately 1,000 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) in each country at any given time. This infrastructure ensures the availability of necessary equipment for coffee transportation and distribution operations.
  • MSC has developed an online booking system that streamlines the process for shippers and forwarders. This system allows it to place and monitor bookings seamlessly, from the initial booking stage to the issuance of electronic Bills of Lading (e-BL). By providing transparency and efficiency in the booking process, this system enhances overall logistical operations and contributes to smoother coffee distribution processes.

Capital: How can specialized containers contribute to maintaining coffee quality during transportation?

Lilian Babirye: Coffee containers are food grade containers that are ventilated for aeration and have hooks to enable placing of bulk bags and container dryer bags when required.

Food grade containers are non-smelly, no rust in or out, no oils spillages, no holes, intact floorboard which avoids contamination of any nature thus ensuring quality maintenance.

MSC also has a tracking device solution that enables tracking of containerised cargo from door to door via a satellite visibility.

Capital: What challenges are involved in ensuring timely coffee shipments from key ports?

Lilian Babirye: Infrastructure:

  1. Road conditions.
    1. Port infrastructure and equipment that impact the productivity of the port generating port congestion and impact the schedule reliability.
  2. Import regulations from different regions:
    1. Fumigation required in some markets.

Capital: What is the current impact of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) on the coffee trade?

Lilian Babirye: African governments and businesses are actively seeking new private sector investment to bolster supply chains as the continent pursues industrialisation. MSC’s strategic approach aligns with this objective by facilitating the implementation of the AfCFTA. Through its investments and operational initiatives, MSC contributes to strengthening regional trade networks and supporting the growth of African businesses, thus advancing the goals of economic integration and industrial development across the continent.

Capital: How can coffee professionals leverage the networking opportunities at the African Fine Coffees Conference (AFCC) to improve their distribution strategies?

Lilian Babirye: This question is best for the organisers as MSC only works with clients who transport the commodity.

Capital: What are some innovative approaches or technologies that can be used to improve coffee distribution in producer countries?

Lilian Babirye: MSC offers smart containers to coffee exporters and traders. By smart container we designate it as a standard dry container, equipped with an internet-connected device, designed to generate a wide range of data, e.g. position, movement, temperature, door openings and shocks.

Using this technology, our customers can better monitor the progress and condition of their cargo and get notifications and alerts on critical events throughout its journey.

For instance, customers can track cargo location and continually monitor temperature and humidity levels throughout transport. This feature is essential as a build-up of humidity can detrimentally affect the quality of the coffee beans. Using our smart containers, customers ensure the integrity and quality of their coffee beans from point A to B.

Capital: How does the quality of coffee impact its distribution and export potential?

Lilian Babirye: Like for any food product, if the product is good from the pickup, quality will remain the same during the transport and at the delivery. There are stuffing processes for containers that must be respected by exporters/ producers, and if they aren’t, this can damage the quality of the product. 

Capital: What role does logistics play in optimizing coffee distribution, and what are some best practices in this area?

Lilian Babirye: Logistics plays a pivotal role in optimising the distribution of this commodity. Thus, MSC offers a comprehensive suite of hinterland and logistics solutions that bolster the African coffee industry. These encompass road and rail transportation, and warehousing, packaging, distribution, as well as value-added services like quality control and traceability. These solutions are instrumental in maintaining the quality and freshness of coffee beans throughout the storage, packaging, and the effectiveness in the transportation phases.

Capital: What are the potential benefits and challenges for coffee producers in Ethiopia with regards to the implementation of the AfCFTA?

Lilian Babirye: Lilian takes care of Rwanda and Uganda coffee market; however one challenge is that Rwanda or Uganda coffee production compete with Ethiopia’s production and reduce revenue form coffee beans production. Since trade barriers and restriction will be eliminated, facilitating the circulations of goods.

WE PROTECTING OUR PEOPLE — PUTIN’S INTERVIEW TO CARLSON

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WE PROTECTING OUR PEOPLE — PUTIN’S INTERVIEW TO CARLSON

On February 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave an exended interview to the famous American journalist Tucker Carlson. This interview became a real breaking news of international politics. It has already been viewed by over hundreds of millions people all around the world.

Since it would be impossible to present the whole interview in the newspaper pages, here are the contents of its main points:

History of the emergence of Ukraine

  • In 1922, when the USSR was being established, the Bolsheviks established the Soviet Ukraine, which had never existed before.
  • Lenin transferred to that newly established Soviet Republic of Ukraine some of the lands together with people living there, even though those lands had never been called Ukraine; and yet they were made part of the newly established Soviet Republic of Ukraine. Those lands included the Black Sea region, which was attained under Catherine the Great [as a result of Russian-Turkey wars] and had no historical connection with Ukraine whatsoever.
  • Under the well-known Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact Western Ukraine was to be given to the then Soviet Union. Thus Russia, which was then named the USSR, regained its historical lands.
  • For decades, the Ukrainian Soviet Republic developed as a part of the USSR, and the Bolsheviks initiated Ukrainianization.
  • In 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed. And everything that Russia had generously bestowed on Ukraine was ”dragged away“ by the latter.

NATO’s expansion to the East

  • After the collapse of the Soviet Union our borders should be along the borders of former Union’s republics. But we never agreed to NATO’s expansion and moreover we never agreed that Ukraine would be in NATO. We did not agree to NATO bases there without any discussion with us.
  • We were promised, “no NATO to the East, not an inch to the East’, as we were told. And then what? They said, ”Well, it’s not enshrined on paper, so we’ll expand.“ So there were five waves of expansion, to the Baltic States, the whole of Eastern Europe, and so on. In 2008 at the summit in Bucharest they declared that the doors for Ukraine and Georgia to join NATO were open.
  • Sovereign Ukraine, which gained its independence as a result of the Declaration of Independence, and, by the way, it says that Ukraine is a neutral state, and in 2008 suddenly the doors or gates to NATO were open to it.
  • They [NATO countries] are trying to intimidate their own population with an imaginary Russian threat.

Causes of the Ukrainian conflict

  • When did the developments in Ukraine start? Since the coup d’etat and the hostilities in Donbass began, that’s when they started [in February 2014]. And we are protecting our people, ourselves, our homeland and our future.
  • In 2014, there was a coup, they started persecuting those who did not accept the coup, and it was indeed a coup, they created a threat to Russian speaking population in Crimea which we had to take under our protection.
  • They [Ukraine] launched a large-scale military operation, then another one. When they failed, they started to prepare the next one. All this against the background of military development of this territory and opening of NATO’s doors.
  • We have repeatedly proposed to seek a solution to the problems that arose in Ukraine after the 2014 coup d’etat through peaceful means. But no one listened to us. And moreover, the Ukrainian leaders who were under the complete US control, suddenly declared that they would not comply with the Minsk agreements, they disliked everything there, and continued military activity in that territory.
  • Former leaders of Ukraine, Germany and France said openly to the whole world that although they indeed signed the Minsk Agreements, they never intended to implement them.

Nazism in Ukraine

  • After gaining independence, Ukraine began to search, as some Western analysts say, its identity. And it came up with nothing better than to build this identity upon some false heroes who had collaborated with Hitler.
  • Ukrainians are part of the one Russian people. They say, ”No, we are a separate people.“ Okay, fine. If they consider themselves a separate people, they have the right to do so, but not on the basis of Nazism, the Nazi ideology.
  • Ukraine announced that the Russians were [and a law was adopted] a non-titular nationality, while passing laws that limit the rights of non-titular nationalities in Ukraine. Ukraine, having received all these southeastern territories as a gift from the Russian people, suddenly announced that the Russians were a non-titular nationality in that territory. Is it normal? All this put together led to the decision to put on end to the war that neo-Nazis started in Ukraine in 2014.

Istanbul’s Agreements

  • We prepared a huge document in Istanbul that was initialed by the head of the Ukrainian delegation. He affixed his signature to some of the provisions, not to all of it.
  • As soon as we pulled back our troops from Kiev, our Ukrainian negotiators immediately threw all our agreements reached in Istanbul into the bin and got prepared for a longstanding armed confrontation with the help of the United States and its satellites in Europe.
  • During the negotiations we did agree that – we have it all in writing – neo-Nazism would not be cultivated in Ukraine, including that it would be prohibited at the legislative level.
  • After we withdrew our troops from Kiev the other side [Ukraine] threw away all these agreements and obeyed the instructions of Western countries, European countries and the United States to fight Russia to the bitter end.

Negotiations with Ukraine

  • President of Ukraine issued a decree prohibiting negotiations with us. Let him cancel that decree and that’s it. We have never refused negotiations indeed.
  • Up until now there has been the uproar and screaming about inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia on the battlefield. Now they are apparently coming to realize that it is difficult to achieve, if possible at all. In my opinion, it is impossible by definition, it is never going to happen. It seems to me that now those who are in power in the West have come to realize this as well. If so, if the realization has set in, they have to think what to do next. We are ready for this dialogue.

For the full text of the interview, please follow:  ethiopia.mid.ru/en/press_center/embassy_s_news/interview_to_tucker_carlson

Press-Service of the Russian Embassy in Ethiopia

Name:  Eyob Mohammed

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Name:  Eyob Mohammed

Education:  10+

Company Name:  Emu Furniture

Title:  CEO

Founded in:  2021

What it does: To sell various types of home furniture

Headquarters:  Jemo 1

Startup Capital:  300,000 Birr

Current Capital:  1,500,000 Birr

Number of Employees:  2

Reason for Starting the Business:  To deliver high-quality work

Biggest Perk of ownership:  Ensuring profitability through quality work

Biggest Strength: Effective delegation of tasks

Biggest Challenge:  Financial constraints

Plan:  Expansion of branch operations

First Career:  Hotel Management

Most Interested in meeting:  None

Most Admired Person:  Binyam Belete, Founder of Mekdonia

Stress Reducer: Prayer

Favorite Book:  Bible

Favorite Pastime:  Spending time with family

Favorite Destination:  Jerusalem

Favorite Automobile:  Ford Pickup

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