Japanese Firm to Increase Cut Flower Import from Ethiopia by Five-fold
ADDIS ABABA – Japanese Impack Corporation is set to expand the volume of cut flower import from Ethiopia five-fold, its top officials said on Monday.
The announcement was made in Tokyo where the Ethiopian ambassador to Japan, Tefera Derbew, met with Tomokazu Morishige and Hekiro Morishige, the Chairman and the President of Impack Corporation, respectively, on Monday.
The two sides discussed Impack’s rose flower business, during which both officials of Impack Corporation have briefed the Ambassador about Impack Corporation’s rose flower imports from Ethiopia.
The Corporation is currently importing two million rose flower stems from Ethiopia’s rose flower growers and exporters annually.
Its officials told the ambassador that the Corporation is planning to expand the volume of its annual rose flower imports by five-fold in a few years ahead.
They have also briefed Ambassador Tefera about Impack Corporation’s endeavors to create more demand for Ethiopia’s rose flowers by Japanese consumers.
To this end, they said the Corporation is planning to conduct rose flower exhibitions in October and November 2022 and in February 2023.
The exhibitions aim to promote Ethiopia’s rose flower to horticulture producers, flower researchers, and flower retailing supermarkets in Japan, according to the Corporation.
Ambassador Tefera, on his part, appreciated Impack Corporation for its preference for Ethiopia’s flowers and for continuing importing rose flowers.
The corporation started importing flowers from Ethiopia soon after Ethiopian Airlines launched a direct flight from Addis Ababa to Tokyo.
The ambassador commended the Corporation for its plan to increase the volume of its rose flower imports from Ethiopia and encouraged the Japanese company to invest in the floriculture industry in the East African nation.
Impack Corporation has extended an invitation to Ambassador Tefera to visit its flower processing and distribution factory located in Saitama city and to attend the scheduled flower exhibitions.
The Ambassador welcomed the invitations and assured the Embassy’s continued cooperation with Impack Corporation and support for its horticulture exhibition.
