Not a Blooming Good Time in Ethiopia 

As an under-reported conflict escalates in northern Ethiopia’s Amhara region, the country’s horticulture sector looks set to become a major economic casualty. Currently the world’s fifth largest exporter of flowers, industry insiders said the country will likely experience a major slump in productivity due to dangerous skirmishes between federal troops and local militants in the country’s second most populous region. The sector generated over $650 million in revenue in 2022, according to the country’s horticulture association. Ethiopia’s industry is expected to be hit particularly harshly during the busy holiday season set to start next month as activities at the majority of local flower plantations have stalled.

SOURCE: SEMAFOR