Ethiopia

Ethiopia is one of Africa’s chili powerhouses, producing over 350,000 tonnes of spice crops in 2018, with chili pepper accounting for more than 80% of total spice production and trade. Red pepper is the dominant crop, cultivated by millions of smallholders as both a cash crop and a mainstay of Ethiopian food culture.

Major export destinations include Germany, Spain, and Japan, with Ethiopia focusing on variety improvement and adoption of modern post-harvest processing. Despite relatively low yields per hectare compared to Asia, growing commercial interest and government investments in agro-industry parks are driving expansion and sustainability efforts within the sector.