13.1mln hectares covered with crops this growing season: Ministry

Addis Ababa, August 9, 2023 (FBC) – The Ministry of Agriculture of Ethiopia (MoA) today announced that 13.1 million hectares of land has been covered with seeds during the current “Meher” growing season.

The Ministry pointed out that more than 17 million 390 thousand 818 hectares of land was planned to be plowed in Amhara, Oromia, South, Benishangul Gumuz, Gambella, Afar, Somali, Sidama, Harari regions and Dire-Dawa city administration until August 8, 2023.

So far this “Meher” growing season, 12 million 844 thousand 743 hectares of land has been cultivated with traditional methods and 3 million 694 thousand hectares with tractors, totaling more than 16.5 million hectares of land.

Currently, 13 million 193 thousand 219 hectares of land is covered with seeds of various crops, of which 6 million 819 thousand 674 hectares of land is said to be cultivated in clusters.

On the other hand, 365 thousand 625 hectares of wheat, 1 million 15 thousand hectares of maize and 281 thousand 595 hectares of barley has been cultivated in the 2022/23 Ethiopian autumn (Belg) growing season in Amhara, Oromia, Sidama, South and Southwest Ethiopia regions until August 8,2023.

Furthermore, the Ministry confirmed that 157 thousand 43 hectares of sorghum and 872 thousand 362 hectares of other crops, totaling 2 million 691 thousand 758 hectares of land was cultivated in different parts of the country in this Belg growing season.

On the other hand, 1 million 498 thousand 597 hectares of land of crops was harvested in the 2022/23 Belg season, MoA said, disclosing that some 25 million 994 thousand 196 quintals of produce was obtained in that period.