The Competitiveness of Ethiopian Honey in the European Union and the United Kingdom

Abstract

In spite of efforts made by the government, to help the private sector, Ethiopia remains one of the poorest countries in Africa. The agri-food sector provides 75% of jobs in Ethiopia (United States Agency for International Development, 2023). However, most agriculture products are sold unprocessed and undifferentiated. Ethiopia is regarded as a country of high potential for honey and beeswax production. Ethiopian honey production is estimated at 45,000 tonnes, however, the country is only exporting 800 tonnes (Alemu & Adesina, 2015). Some of the most promising destinations for Ethiopian honey exports include the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK). Within this context, this paper aims to critically analyse the competitiveness of the Ethiopian honey value chain in order to identify its challenges and opportunities within the EU and UK market. This study uses a qualitative research approach. Primary data were collected from stakeholders of the Ethiopian honey value chain. The results of this study indicate that Ethiopian honey could be competitive in the specialty and organic niche market. Findings have revealed that the Ethiopian honey value chain needs improvement in terms of quality, food safety, market information management and cooperation among stakeholders. The findings of this research make a contribution to the existing literature by extending current knowledge within this domain and identifying strategies to penetrate a very competitive sector.