Ethiopia’s agricultural sector is poised for a major expansion, harvesting an impressive 242 million quintals of produce in the first 100 days of the current Ethiopian calendar year and simultaneously forecasting a robust 7.8 percent growth by year-end.

Planning and Development Minister Dr. Fitsum Assefa announced the figures, crediting agricultural reform, expansion of planted land, and strategic investments for the sector's strong performance.

The harvest over the last three months, which saw a significant improvement over the previous year, consisted primarily of 74.73% crop yield and nearly 167 million quintals of horticultural produce. Smallholder farmers were key to this achievement, cultivating 20.3 million hectares—surpassing initial targets for the harvest season. Overall, 26.32 million hectares of land have been sown with seeds for the year, with major efforts focused on wheat, rice, and soybeans.

Looking ahead, Dr. Fitsum predicted a 7.8 percent growth for the agricultural sector by the close of the 2018 Ethiopian calendar year. This growth is expected to be fueled by a projected 3.1 percent increase in arable land, coupled with greater use of irrigation, mechanization, and commercialization.

The minister specifically highlighted the catalytic role of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), noting that its completion has spurred increased fish production. Furthermore, the expansion of new export destinations for meat and meat products, along with the widespread distribution of water pumps to support contiguous farming, are key contributors to achieving the sector’s aggressive growth objectives. Dr. Fitsum concluded that the full implementation of agricultural reform is now showing "evident results" and driving a structural shift toward market-oriented crops.