Feed marketing in Ethiopia: results of rapid market appraisal

Abstract

Despite the large livestock population in Ethiopia, the sector’s contribution at the micro or macro level is well below its potential due to various reasons, notably feed shortage and diseases, compounded by inefficiencies in the livestock input and output markets. Feed marketing studies are scarce in Ethiopia. This study is aimed at assessing the feed marketing system in Ethiopia to generate a general understanding of the feed supply and demand characteristics, feed marketing, feed prices, market places, market actors, and market institutions. The types of fodder supplied in the country differ from place to place depending on the type of crops grown as conditioned by the agro-climatic conditions. Buyers and sellers have various perceptions about the quality of the fodder supplied to the market. There are competing uses of crop residues and hay in Ethiopia. Crop residues and hay are transported in a variety of ways. Most of the crop residues are retailed in the open market. Hay is mostly sold in situ. Agro-industrial by-products from flour and edible oil mills, grind mills and local brewery are sold in all of the study areas. There are about 15 feed mixers and millers in the country as observed during the study period. However, only five of them are manufacturing purely for sale; others produce for own consumption and to sell surpluses. Feed prices are rising sharply. Available price data indicated that there are significant price differences between farm gate and wholesale prices of crop residues and hay. Among the crop residues teff straw is most expensive. Among agroindustrial by-products, linseed cake is most expensive, followed by cotton seed cake. Most of the feed trading is informal. Implications to improve the feed marketing system are drawn.