Ethio Agri-CEFT Plc was established in September, 1997 setting up a large coffee farm known as Gemadro Coffee Plantation, and acquiring from the Government the Gumaro Tea Plantation, the Wush-Wush Tea Plantation, the Tea Processing and Packing Factory, Ayehu Farm and Bir Farm.

Major Products of Ethio Agri-CEFT Plc include washed and sun-dried coffee, black made tea (loose, packed), green tea, food crops (cereals, pulses, oil crops), medicinal and biopesticides (eg. Endod), herbal and aromatic plants, spices, honey and cut flowers.

Schemes Instituted

The Company has put together small farmers’ tea out-growers scheme from year 2004 around Gumaro and Wush Wush tea estates. When the tea plant is ready for plucking, the green leaves will be plucked and delivered to the respective tea estates at agreed prices.

Ethio Agri - CEFT is also engaged in large plantation of Endod (Phytolacca dodecandra), which is traditionally used as a detergent and is found to be effective as a molluscicide, larvicide, fungicide and leechicide. It is confirmed that it effectively controls leeches, which greatly affect the health of cattle and draught animals.

Endod is an organic, biodegradable and environmentally friendly product. Considering the economic advantage, Ethio Agri-CEFT in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has developed and distributed a technology extension package for controlling leeches using Endod.

In addition, Ethio Agri – CEFT, based on trial outputs is using Endod as a fungicide to control mildew on rose plants.