ETHIOPIA- Krotaj Tahini Manufacturers Plc, a multinational joint ventrure of sesame experts, has commissioned a new tahini processing plant in Ethiopia.
The processing plant will produce tahini, a value-added product from sesame seeds used as a snack or garnish for supply to the local and international market especially in the Middle East.
The company said that it will source the produce locally to supply the factory which plans to produce 3,758 tonnes of tahini annually and a potential to employ more than 40 staff directly at full capacity.
According to Daniel Adugna, chief operations officer at the factory, production of tahini entails sifting and cleaning sesame seeds, hulling, misting, steam roasting, grinding and packaging.
Dr. Mulugeta Kidanemariam, Chief Executive Offocer Krotaj said that the opening of the state-of-the-art tahini processing plant marks a milestone in the country’s sesame industry.
“We are grateful for our Ethiopian, Israeli and U.S. partners who have helped us get to this stage of launching a tahini factory in Ethiopia.
Each group has been integral in helping us get to this key stage. Now it’s time to produce and export exceptional tahini to the world market,” she continued
Formed between K. Mikedem of Ethiopia; Wegagen Bank, Impact Angel Network (AIN) RENEW Investment Strategies LLC of the United States; and the four-year-old Israeli firm, J & O, the new plant is anticipated to boost the sesame industry in Ethiopia.
Krotaj said that the investment is in line with its ambitions of becoming the leading provider of tahini to the international food processing industry and seeks to boost the sesame value chain in the country.
The company becomes the fourth entity to enter the sector for and venture into sesame exports the second company to produce tahini along with Ambasel Trading.
Currently, the sesame exports are packaged in 18kg package which according to Mulugeta, the value-added product generates up to 600 dollars a ton more than exporting sesame seeds the conventional way, reports Addis Fortune.
Ethiopia is the fourth largest producer of sesame seeds, producing 350,000tn a year, and is the third largest sesame seed exporting country in the world, supplying 14pc of the global market.
