Recommendations Although edible oil refining is not a new sector in Ethiopia, there are currently very few edible oil factories with the knowledge, technical and equipment capacity, human resources, and supply chain required to expect fortification of edible oils to flourish.
Where does cooking oil come from in Ethiopia?
Edible oil for consumption in Ethiopia is mainly imported from different countries. In calendar year (CY) 15, Ethiopia imported 479,000 metric tons of cooking oil, valued at nearly $474 million dollars. Of this imported oil, more than 90 percent by volume was palm oil, most of which comes from Indonesia and Malaysia.
Where are edible oil processing factories located in Ethiopia?
In addition, several large edible oil processing factories are under construction or in a pilot phase (located in Bahir Dar, Debre Markos, Burie, Wolkitie, Sebeta, and Dire Dawa). These large-scale factories have a designed production capacity greater than the annual edible oil demand within Ethiopia.
Should oil be refined in Ethiopia?
According to the Ethiopian quality standard, all edible oil must be refined, although a number of specif- ic oilseeds can be semi-refined (see Appendix 1). Despite this requirement, many millers are selling crude oil particularly to the low income class. The government is planning to ban the sale of crude oil as from next year.