Bʏ Mᴇᴋᴏɴɴᴇɴ Sᴏʟᴏᴍᴏɴ 𝐖. ⁻Eᴛʜɪᴏᴘɪᴀɴ Hᴏʀᴛɪᴄᴜʟᴛᴜʀᴇ Exᴘᴏʀᴛ Cᴏᴏʀᴅɪɴᴀᴛᴏʀ, Mɪɴɪsᴛʀʏ ᴏꜰ Aɢʀɪᴄᴜʟᴛᴜʀᴇ ⁽ᴀɪᴀɪs⁾
There is a growing trend towards diversification of summer flower varieties within the existing horticultural cluster in Ethiopia. The current move from reliance on a limited flower variety to Eucalyptus foliage species cultivation has witnessed the gradual trend that promises to diversify Ethiopian flower varieties. This move is driven by the awareness that diversifying flower varieties offers numerous benefits, including increased market share in potential flower market destinations and flower business stability
The demand for Eucalyptus foliage species in the Gulf Countries and the Middle East markets has shown a dramatic increase in recent times. This is due to the popularity of the species in the floral industry for arrangements and decorations and for its aromatic properties and unique texture. The growing interest in its aesthetic appeal for advanced floral design also gradually contributes to its demand worldwide.
For the last 15 years, Southeast Asian countries have been the main source of eucalyptus foliage in the global flower market, especially for Gulf and Middle Eastern countries. It is evident that importing Eucalyptus foliage species from Vietnam to the Middle East took an average of 7-8 hours of flight time through air cargo.
In comparison to Vietnam, Ethiopia occupies a strategic location and is found to be more ideal to explore the Eucalyptus foliage species market in the Middle East and Gulf states. The estimated flight time from Ethiopia to Middle Eastern countries is about 3 hours on average with an average airplane speed of 567 mph. This contributes to supplying more fresh foliage to this potential market, improving delivery time, and enhancing customer satisfaction.
The cost of transporting flowers and foliage from Ethiopia to the Middle East and Gulf countries is much cheaper in comparison to Vietnam. The average freight cost for 1 kg of flower or eucalyptus Foliage from Ethiopia to Middle East and Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Beirut is about 1.30 to 1.37 USD, whereas from Vietnam to the Middle East and Gulf countries, it costs 4.5 to 6 dollars per kg. Ethiopia being closer to the Middle East and Gulf countries, there is a comparative logistics economic advantage; the shortest air route means it would significantly reduce logistics costs and increase marketing margins and gains.
Triggered by this awareness and the need to explore the potential advantage derived from these eucalyptus foliage varieties, a number of flower companies in the highlands and midlands of Ethiopia have started to introduce and cultivate different varieties.
Ideally the midland and highland of Ethiopia are suitable for the cultivation of wide-ranging eucalyptus species. The plantation of eucalyptus in Ethiopia goes back to the time of Emperor Menelik II, when he established the present capital of the country, Addis Ababa. With the development of the capital and other cities, he noted the shortage of fuelwood and other construction materials could hamper the development of the cities.
In 1895, the emperor then introduced eucalyptus from Australia by making innovative administrative ways, which included providing tax relief for Eucalyptus growers and distributing seeds and seedlings for free. To date, around 506,000 hectares of land is believed to be covered by Eucalyptus, which is the largest in Africa, comparatively 8 and 5 times Kenya’s and Rwanda’s eucalyptus coverage, respectively.
Presently, there are 55 species of Eucalyptus tree growing in Ethiopia, of which the most widespread species include Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Eucalyptus citriodora, Eucalyptus globulus, Eucalyptus regnant, Eucalyptus saligna, and Eucalyptus teratorns.
Despite its importance, the introduction of new eucalyptus foliage species for ornamental purposes is a new phenomenon in Ethiopia. Afri-flower plc and Gallica Flowers are Ecuadorian and French flower farms that, located at highland horticulture development clusters, are the first two foreign companies to demonstrate the introduction and cultivation of this eucalyptus foliage species in Ethiopia. The other Dutch flower farm, Friendship Flower, also takes root and makes a trial cultivation.
The most important commercial eucalyptus summer flower foliage species introduced in the Ethiopian highlands and midlands are four in number. These are silver dollar (cinerea), baby blue, parviflora, and lemon bush Eucalyptus foliage. These varieties are noted for their small stem and purple, green and silver young stems; juvenile leaves smell of peppermint and lemon.
These species mark an exciting new chapter in the country’s prosperous flower industry. What makes baby blue, silver dollar (cinerea), parviflora, and citriodora Eucalyptus foliage species different from traditionally established Eucalyptus plantations is that the stems and leaves of the new varieties are used as ‘fillers’ in mixed flower bouquets supplying high street florists, an export market to specialist flower bouquet processing companies in Europe and the Middle East who in turn supply the major supermarkets and other retail outlets, including an expanding mail order marketplace.These eucalyptus foliage species cuttings and seed planting materials are not available in Ethiopia. They are brought from Europe, Latin America, and Israel.
Even though Afri-flower, Gallica flowers, and friendship flowers started to develop and intensify the production of this eucalyptus commercial summer flower foliage, the opportunity to export these species remained a challenge for the last 3 years. This is due to the Ethiopian legal regulation that commonly restricts the export of agricultural products that do not have a minimum selling price.
In Ethiopia there is a legal practice of regulating the minimum selling price that a government sets for a product. It’s a National Bank-regulated price that prevents prices from falling below the end-market clearing price. Unlike other cut flowers like roses and summer flowers, commercial eucalyptus summer flower foliage did not have a minimum selling price set by the National Bank of Ethiopia. Due to this reason flower farms used to cut and throw these valuable species after bad. These companies considered the growing of Eucalyptus foliage species as a failing venture or wasting of valuable resources that could otherwise be used elsewhere.
Over time, however, the value of this species trade has been recognized. It was at a major international horticulture trade fair, at a showcase of AfriFlower, that took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from April 1 to 3, 2025, that the eyes of many supporting agencies were widely opened, and they realized that throwing away these valuable species is also a loss for the country and understood the advantage that they were previously unaware of.
Consequently, the Ministry of Agriculture, with close collaboration of the National Bank of Ethiopia and the Customs Authority, has set a minimum floor price for eucalyptus commercial summer flower foliage, which is indeed subject to periodic revision depending on the realistic selling price information obtained from various market destinations.
Currently, these farms started exporting commercial summer eucalyptus flowers and tried to develop more land for the installation of a drip irrigation system. Many more flower farms have also been eager and showed an interest in diversifying their flower production with their unused and vacant farm area. One of the peculiar natures of eucalyptus commercial summer flower foliage is that the cost of cultivating it is much less expensive in comparison to roses and summer farm ventures.
These crops could grow in an eco-friendly manner in an open field. There is also a good possibility to grow these species with nearby farmers through outgrow schemes and contract farming business models, which would create more job opportunities for youth and women and also improve alternative sources of household incomes for local vulnerable groups of societies.
Thus, a coordinated effort has to be made with horticultural development partners to expand land under these varieties’ production and improve the quality of supply.
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝑪𝒐𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓, 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑨𝒈𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 (𝑨𝑰𝑨𝑰𝑺)-𝑬𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑶𝑷𝑰𝑨