Ethiopia Common Bean
Ethiopia Common bean Kidane Tumsa, Robin Buruchara and Steve Beebe Introduction Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are increasingly becoming an important crop in Ethiopia. The crop largely contributes to the national economy (commodity and employment) and is a source of food and cash income to the resource-poor farmers. Of 1,357,523 ha (11.8% of crop land) covered by pulse crops in Ethiopia in 2010/11, 237,366 ha (2.01%) were covered by common bean and 340,279 tons of production was obtained (Source: CSA 2011). The country stands seventh in area and sixth in production among the 29 countries that produce common bean in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). During 2003 to 2010, the area under beans increased by 34.3%, from 181,600 ha in 2003 to 244,012 ha in 2010, while production increased threefold, from 117,750 tons in 2003 to 362,890 tons in 2010 (Fig. 1) and the average yield more than doubled, from 0.615 t ha-1 to 1.487 t ha-1. By 2012, bean area expanded to about 350,000 ha. Ethiopia is the largest exporter of common bean in Africa, earning about US$ 66 million in 2010 compared to US$ 17 million in 2006. The export quantity rose to about 77,000 tons in 2010 compared to 49,000 tons in 2006. Since 2005, the quantity of formal bean export (particularly white-seeded bean) has increased from 62,000 tons to 75,000 tons (Fig. 2). 400,000 – – 300,000 Production (tons) Area (ha) 362,890 244,012 – 250,000 300,000 – 181,600 – 200,000 183,800 200,000 – – 150,000 172,150 119,900 – 100,000 Area (ha) Production (tons) 100,000 – 98,670 111,750 – 50,000 – 0 0 – – – – – – 2002/3 2003/4 2004/5 2009/10 Figure 1.
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