Spices have shaped Ethiopia’s cuisine, medicine, and beauty traditions for centuries, and today with rising demand, surging consumption, and skyrocketing prices, they remain as essential as ever.
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The world is hyping about the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of spices, making them in high demand and pricey. They are recorded in history as one of the oldest traded items across the globe. In Ethiopia, they stood the test of time. The largely vegan but also carnivore society is known to like its food spicy. Difodabo (traditional Ethiopian bake) is mundane without a sprinkle of Tikur Azmud (black cumin), and what’s Dorowot without the magical Korerima (black cardamom). We have an extensive traditional medical application, which mainly blends spices in making drugs. They are an integral part of the customary beauty practices as well.
Annually, over 310,000 tons are consumed in the Ethiopian market, making it among the top 10 countries in the world by spice utilization. The global spices market has expanded with the growing industrialization of spices for cosmetic, medicinal, and culinary purposes. In addition to consuming 90% of the domestic production, annual spice imports exceed USD 800,000. With over 130 million people, striding urbanization, and increasing income, consumption is naturally surging. Tendencies towards organic produce and the excitements of diverse gastronomic delights are catalyzing the trend. Prices are skyrocketing as supply limps. [1][3]
Productions? Not so spicy
For its favourable climatic diversity, irrigable land availability, and cheap labour, Ethiopia can produce up to 100 species of spices. This places it as a prospective big player in the global market for multi-flavoured spice exports. Nevertheless, it couldn't even provide for the local market, producing half of that variety in minimal amounts. Cultivations are limited mainly to turmeric, fenugreek, cardamom, ginger, black pepper, chillies, and cumin. Moreover, 90% of these productions are from Southern Ethiopia despite the suitable agro-ecological zones countrywide. [4][9]
The spices sector is overlooked for its potential, with about 98% production coming from smallholder farmers. Poor production practices and low technology have long impeded the area. Relative to other crops, research and development in spice production is circumscribed. Aside from low productivity, lack of strategic support, poor market regulation, and inadequate value addition have doomed the sector to inefficiency. Matters are worsened by insecurities across the region, which affect the whole supply chain. [5][6]
Our spices are not the world’s favorites. Why?
As for exports, only 23 of the 50 varieties are eligible for the market. Essential oils extracted from cardamom, black cumin, black pepper, ginger, and turmeric are a major point of interest for importing countries. The problem, apparently, isn’t just insufficient production but failure to rise up to international standards. Little is done in variety development and enhancement.[6]
Access to pesticides is challenged, and poor post-harvest handling makes production prone to multiple defects. Spices are affected by physical impurities, chemical residue, and microbial contaminants, which make importing countries cautious and resistant. Having an underdeveloped processing meant a leakage in the supply chain, as spices are perishable goods. Remoteness of production sites, lack of market access, and the multiple intermediaries further aggravate the challenges. All these cornered Ethiopia from the opportunities laying in loads.
A move to spice up the world
Production improvements, value enhancement, and structural support are determining factors in transforming the sector. Expansion of large-scale commercial farms and support for innovation in the field is a strategic move to break into the vast opportunities on hold. Countries like India and China have exhausted their capacities, becoming market leaders, exporting USD 701 million and 787 million worth of spices in 2024, respectively. With divergent efforts, Ethiopia has the potential to measure up to these giants.[10]
Ethiopian undeveloped value addition has been bound to small and medium-sized enterprises, which leverage conventional methods. The process of drying, milling, heating, and grinding is done through natural sunlight and simple machines. In leading countries, industries have adopted vacuum drying, freeze drying, and cryogenic grinding technologies, which have brought about serious advances. Governmental support through policies, provision of resources, and funding is prominent.[7][8]
Spices have enormous potential to spice up the Ethiopian economy. It can transform the lives of smallholder farmers, who get incentivized in a well-developed system. It moves capital worth millions from production to consumption while employing hundreds of thousands of people. It’s an untapped field yet to be explored and exploited.
