Ethiopia opens US$30M cold storage facility in Addis Ababa to reduce post-harvest losses
The facility aligns with Ethiopia’s broader trade reforms by strengthening the nation’s position in regional and global markets.
ETHIOPIA – Ethiopia has inaugurated a new cold storage facility for vegetables, fruits, and animal products, along with a multipurpose building, in Addis Ababa’s Akaki-Qaliti Sub-City. The facility, developed by the Ethiopian Trading Business Corporation, cost approximately US$30 million.
The new cold storage infrastructure will transform Ethiopia’s agricultural trade by significantly reducing post-harvest waste and improving product quality and the consistency of market supply.
The facility can store more than 20,000 quintals of vegetables and fruit, as well as up to 10,000 quintals of animal products at any given time.
It also covers more than 11,400 square metres and includes a large-scale temperature-controlled storage complex and a ten-storey multipurpose service building to support integrated trade and logistics activities.
As a result, the facility serves as a vital link between local producers and consumers, ensuring a consistent supply of high-quality goods.
Logistics reforms are crucial to stabilizing domestic food prices by improving access to essential goods at reasonable prices, strengthening market linkages, and supporting a transparent and competitive trade framework.
According to Minister of Trade and Regional Integration Kassahun Gofe, current priorities include expanding modern logistics infrastructure and improving supply chain performance across storage, distribution, and logistics.
The facility is designed to reduce post-harvest losses, which have historically forced farmers to sell produce immediately after harvest at low prices because of a lack of storage. By enabling longer-term storage of quality produce, the facility helps moderate price fluctuations throughout the year.
More importantly, the facility aligns with Ethiopia’s broader trade reforms by strengthening the nation’s position in regional and global markets.
Minister Kassahun stated that reforms are underway to strengthen Ethiopia’s position in regional and global trade, and that the Ethiopian Trading Business Corporation is expected to continue aligning its operations with national trade reform efforts.
The facility forms part of a wider investment in cold-chain and logistics capacity as Ethiopia seeks to improve the handling and distribution of agricultural products from production areas to domestic and export markets.
Furthermore, the facility’s location in Addis Ababa, a major consumption hub and air freight gateway, is strategic. The government’s emphasis on transparent and competitive trade frameworks also suggests potential for public-private partnerships in future logistics expansion.
Overall, this project represents an important step, but sustained investment across the entire cold chain will determine whether Ethiopia realizes its agricultural export potential.
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