See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.
net/publication/366398905
Title: Pasta industries in Ethiopia, challenge and Opportunities
Article · December 2022
CITATION READS
1 1,028
3 authors, including:
Tamrat Kore
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research
18 PUBLICATIONS 28 CITATIONS
SEE PROFILE
All content following this page was uploaded by Tamrat Kore on 19 December 2022.
The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.
GSJ: Volume 10, Issue 2, February 2022
ISSN 2320-9186 1954
GSJ: Volume 10, Issue 2, February 2022, Online: ISSN 2320-9186
www.globalscientificjournal.com
Title: Pasta industries in Ethiopia, challenge and Opportunities
a
Mekuria Temtme, bNegash Geleta and bTamirat Kore
1, Debrezeit Agricultural Research Center, P.O. Box 32, Ethiopia.
2, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), P.O. Box 2003, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
ABSTRACT
7 local industries included in the study namely, kaliti food complex; K.O.J.J food processing
complex PLC; Ahwan Food complex PLC; Asteco Food Complex PLC; Booze and Kebrone
Flour Factory and food complex; Adea food complex PLC and Ahfan food complex PLC.
Questionnaires needed for local industries were prepared as lead questions and the companies'
heads or representatives have filled questions based on the willingness. Besides, focused group
discussions have done following the lead questions lead by the researcher. Due to low volume of
durum wheat grain, Ethiopian pasta industries continued to rely on bread wheat flour for pasta
making by supplementing colorants and pasta zymes and affected by the huge import costs and
by the recurrent shortage of hard currency in the country. Based on the study, local farmers are
expanding durum wheat cultivation and providing the durum wheat grain with good quality. The
weak supply chain from the producer to the factory is hurting both the producers and the
industries due to the interference of brokers, inabilities of unions/cooperatives, and non-
involvement of the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange.
Keywords: Durum, Market, Industries, Pasta
GSJ© 2022
www.globalscientificjournal.com
GSJ: Volume 10, Issue 2, February 2022
ISSN 2320-9186 1955
INTRODUCTION
Wheat (T. aestivum and T. durum) are the major nourishment components of the world. Millions
of individuals in urban and provincial communities of Ethiopia depend on the nourishment items
prepared from wheat. Bread wheat is majorly and produced for bread whereas durum wheat is
majorly delivered for making pasta and macaroni. In spite of the fact that the statistics insights in
Ethiopia seem not put the bread and durum wheat separately, both kinds of wheat are produced,
investigate works were going on for progressing the varieties of both durum and bread wheat,
and over 40 durum and 60 bread wheat varieties have been released in Ethiopia for the final 5
decades. In spite of the fact that a few of the ancient varieties are not in production due to stem
rust races breakdown, later releases are way better in resistance and utilized for production.
Durum wheat produced and released in Ethiopia isn't well taken by businesses due to passive
value chain. Subsequently, the pasta makers have invested a lot for under-quality grain, colorants
and pastazymes. Therefore, the aim of the study was to identify challenges and opportunities of
pasta industry in Ethiopia.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Based on the purposive sampling method, among 20 pasta-making industries in Ethiopia. Seven
large and medium representative food complex companies have been selected.
Physical and chemical wheat quality characteristics
Both physical and chemical wheat quality parameters maters the end quality of pasta. Even
though there are different standards worldwide, of these, impurity, hectoliter weight, protein
content, gluten content, ash content, moisture content, and a falling number have found to be
important (table 1)
GSJ© 2022
www.globalscientificjournal.com
GSJ: Volume 10, Issue 2, February 2022
ISSN 2320-9186 1956
Table1. pasta making quality parameters required by industries
Quality Acceptable by pasta making industries
parameter Kaliti Booze Asteco Ahwan Ahfa K.O.J.J Adea
Impurity ≤10% ≤10% ≤9% ≤10% ≤10% ≤10% ≤10%
HLW 72-78% 72-80 76-78% 76-83% 72-76% 72-81% 70-78
Protein 10-12% 12% 10% 10-12% 10-12% 10-12% >10
Gluten >25% 32% 26-28% 30-40% 29-33% 27% >26%-32
Ash 0.5-1% <1% 1% 1% <1% 1% 1%
Moisture% 12% 11.5% 12.5% <12% 12% <12% <12%
Falling number >300 sec. 280- >300 >280 sec. >300 sec. >250 sec. >300 sec.
350 sec sec.
According to the owners of the pasta factory, the weak supply chain from the producer to the
factory is hurting both the producers and the industries although there is no shortage of wheat
grain.
Facts that are holding back the growth of Ethiopian pasta industry, from the
perspective of research and pasta manufacturers
1. Brokers
In Ethiopia, the main market system drivers are brokers. Industries bought grain through
mediators (brokers). They are always suspicious of possible cheating by them. Added that
brokers occasionally “skim” additional profits off the actual price that they obtain in the market
as opposed to the price that they convey to the industries. This has been a source of conflict
between industries and brokers or in general, every part of the country brokers has been building
a strong linkage with producers in different aspects such as in religion, Ekub, family, and
different social norms. The widespread use of informal mediation, rather than legal recourse, is
consistent with the existence of generalized social norms that govern economic relations.
They are financially strong. Hence, brokers provide money and production inputs prior to crop
harvest. The illegal or oral nature of contracts and no legal enforcement of contracts are all
factors that contribute to the difficulty that industries encounter in attempting to trade directly
with an unknown partner. Adulteration; mixing low quality (soft and shriveled grain) with the
good grain, impurities (stone, nails, soils &others), and increasing moisture level (adding water
GSJ© 2022
www.globalscientificjournal.com
GSJ: Volume 10, Issue 2, February 2022
ISSN 2320-9186 1957
in few quintals) were common practices. Sometimes had a chance to get malted grains, out of the
truck at unloading time.
2. Agricultural cooperatives/Unions
The establishment of agricultural cooperative /unions in Ethiopia is significantly associated with
and responsible to overcome the problems that individual farmers could not solve solely.
Proclamation No.47/1998 states that cooperative societies shall aim to solve social and economic
problems by coordinating their knowledge, wealth, and labor (see details in FDRE 1998).
Ethiopian government has also made efforts for cooperatives/union development that can be
taken as opportunities. Studies showed that the growth of cooperatives in different parts of the
country is increasing. Industries clams that the objective of establishment of unions was to make
ease of market system through; supplying quality inputs (grains) to the industries with reasonable
price. However, with unclear proclamation and rules, some of the agricultural unions are
transformed to flour factories. This factually appreciable improvement and development for
themselves and for the betterment of the country's industrialization-led policy. However, for
pasta makers, the market system and authorization has been disturbed and discouraged.
The interferences of the government, brokers, and other development partners in decision
making on matters of cooperatives, unauthorized intrusions and the use of cooperatives for
political purposes by local governments, absence of an established exit strategy by cooperative
initiators and supplying grains at a high price.
3. Durum wheat market is not under Ethiopian commodity exchange
(ECX)
The issue was the concern of all pasta-making industries. Due to the big share of Ethiopian
wheat product and role to the large society, the wheat market system should be operated under
ECX like coffee, chickpea, and other commodities to ensure the development of an efficient
modern trading system that would protect buyers, sellers, and intermediaries. ECX has
developed strategies benefiting smallholder farmers in particular, facilitating financial and other
logistics, promoting traceability in the trading system for the private traders, creating a
regulatory platform for controlling the illegal traders, brokers operating in the system, and
capacitating the cooperative unions in the value chain.
GSJ© 2022
www.globalscientificjournal.com
GSJ: Volume 10, Issue 2, February 2022
ISSN 2320-9186 1958
Only a small amount of durum wheat grains reaching the market, with the risk of being cheated.
Most of the wheat grain market does not have owners; government could not collect tax from a
huge resource. ECX also developed a new method of exchange; a marketing system that
coordinates better links faster and protects both sides of the trade. It is a modern trading system
based on standard crop contracts, establishes standard parameters for commodity grades,
transaction, size, payment and delivery, and trading order matching, while at the same time,
preserving the origins and types of crops as distinct unlike the previous (Dejen and Mathews
2016).
4. Making pasta from bread wheat flour
A quality pasta product begins with high-quality raw material. Durum wheat (Triticum durum) is
ideally suited for pasta because of its unique properties like relatively high yellow pigment
content, low lipoxygenase activity, and high protein content favorable for good cooking quality
(Aalami et al., 2007). The dough made from durum wheat semolina ideally suited to the pasta
manufacturing process. The content and composition of proteins, gluten strength, in particular,
are important for the cooking quality of pasta Durum wheat had been cultivated in Ethiopia for
thousands of years, although it has gradually been displaced by bread wheat. However, the
demand for pasta has shown steady growth. “The high demand of the pasta factories estimated to
be between 1000 to 1500 quintals per day. According to Ethio-Italy project unpublished report
(March 2019), in three Zones of Oromia (Bale, West Arsi, and Arsi), small- and large-scale
farmers could able to produce 2.3 million quintals main production season. This ensured that
Ethiopia can export durum wheat to the world market.
The survey result depicted that; few pasta makers are seeking bread wheat flour for pasta making
due to; 1) In the milling process durum wheat takes long conditioning time (24 hours) than bread
wheat (17 hours). 2) Intervention of new technologies (enzymes), some pasta makers are using
new enzymes which enabled pasta makers to make pasta only from bread wheat flour (soft
wheat).3) Soft wheat relatively has a low price. 4) No national policy or rules which enforce
pasta makers to make pasta only from durum wheat. 5) Limited awareness of customers about
quality products; industries have high market demand; they can sell both high quality and poor
quality at the same price. This has been a challenge for the durum wheat value chain and value
through the above-mentioned reasons.
GSJ© 2022
www.globalscientificjournal.com
GSJ: Volume 10, Issue 2, February 2022
ISSN 2320-9186 1959
5. Pastazym as a quality booster
Economically speaking, the use of soft wheat flour for pasta production could be advantageous;
however, the poor sensory attributes and cooking quality of such products have dictated that
durum semolina be used. Attempts to overcome the poor quality of non-conventional pasta have
primarily relied on the use of additives and enzymes (Bergman et al., 1994). Haber et al. (1978)
found an increase in soft wheat farina pasta firmness. Bergman et al. (1994) conducted
experiments to develop high-temperature-dried soft wheat pasta supplemented with cowpea and
estimated its cooking quality, color, and sensory characteristics. During pasta cooking, there is
competition between starch and protein for water (Pagani, 1986). Also, when less protein
surrounds starch granules, they swell and gelatinize faster. Thus, it is postulated that legume
addition, along with its greater amount of protein, results in slower starch swelling and,
subsequently, a longer time requirement for gelatinization to occur, resulting in a longer cooking
time
The disadvantage of pasta zymes
1) Affects allergens protein profile
2) Low immune reactivity
3) Lower sensory attributes
4) Low firmness, cream color, and taste
6. Color additives as a colorant
A yellow color additive is any dye, pigment, or substance which when added or applied to pasta
of imparting color to satisfy consumer expectations (yellow pasta). Color is one of the most
significant factors that directly affect consumers' food choices and eating desires. Color that
affects taste recognition and product acceptability might have an influence on both actual and
perceived nutritional value of food Color additives are used in foods for many reasons (Martins
et al., 2016). Hence, Ethiopian few pasta makers are using colorants on bread wheat flour
to make pasta yellow.
However, colorants can cause reactions such as, digestive disorders – diarrhea and colicky pains;
nervous disorders – hyperactivity, insomnia and irritability; respiratory problems – asthma,
rhinitis and sinusitis and skin problems – hives, itching, rashes and swelling
(https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/food-additives)
GSJ© 2022
www.globalscientificjournal.com
GSJ: Volume 10, Issue 2, February 2022
ISSN 2320-9186 1960
Table 2. Some Ethiopian Pasta making industries profile
Industry name Year of Address Product Name Output per Customer
establishment day(qt)
Kaliti food complex S.C 1930 A.A Ceralia & 1500 Organizations and
Knick knack retailers
Asteco food complex L.C 2004 A.A Tena,Altan 1200 Organizations and
&Shafe luka retailers
K.O.J.J food complex L.C 1994 A.A K.O.J.J 1400 Organizations and
retailers
Kebrone complex L.C 2001 A.A Booze 1000 Organizations and
retailers
Booze food complex L.C 2001 A.A Booze 1000 Organizations and
retailers
Ahfa food complex L.C NA A.A Oche 250 Organizations and
retailers
Adea food complec NA Debre zeit Adea NA Organizations and
retailers
Ahwan food complex L.C 2001 Adama Ahwan NA Organizations and
retailers
Table 3. Potential wheat supplier areas for pasta makers.
Area Quality property Impurity Remark
level
Arsi Good protein and Hard <10% Very good
West Arsi Good protein and Hard <10% Very good
Bale Good protein and Hard <10% Very good
Minjar Very hard and high protein <2% Excellent
Ejere Good protein and Hard <10% Some pocket areas
Arsi Negele Good protein and very hard <10% Belg season wheat does not
have good quality.
Western Hararge Good protein and Hard <10% Excellent
Northern Somali Very hard and high protein <5% Excellent
East Gojam Hard and good protein 10-15% Red color of soil has bad
effect on the pasta quality
GSJ© 2022
www.globalscientificjournal.com
GSJ: Volume 10, Issue 2, February 2022
ISSN 2320-9186 1961
North Shewa Hard and good protein 10-15% Dust (threshed on traditional
‘awudma’)
Meskan/Mareko Very hard and high protein <10% Very good
CONCLUSIONS
Seven large and medium representative food complex companies have been selected. The
purpose of the study was to identify challenges and opportunities of pasta industry in Ethiopia.
Due to low volume of durum wheat production in Ethiopia, industries still relied on soft and hard
bread wheat flour by using pastazymes and colorants. Brokers, mis-use of unions/cooperatives,
market systems and use of expensive additives were major factors which affected of the growth
of Ethiopian pasta industry.
REFERENCES
Adamina et al., 2019. Quality and Nutritional/Textural Properties of Durum
Wheat Pasta Enriched with Cricket Powder. Pozna´n University of
Life Sciences, 60-637 Pozna´n, Poland.
Bergman, C.J., Gilberto, D.G., and Weber, C.W. (1994). Development of a high- temperature –
dried soft wheat pasta supplemented with cowpea (Vigna unguiculata, IL. Walp).
Cooking quality, color, and sensory evaluation. Cereal Chem.71: 523–527.
Dejen Debeb and Mathews Haile., 2016. Agricultural Cooperatives, Opportunities and
Challenges, the Case of Bench Maji Zone, Ethiopia. Journal of Poverty, Investment and
Development.
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE). 1998. Establishment of Cooperative Societies,
Proclamation No. 147/1998. Addis Ababa: Federal Negarit Gazeta.
(https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/food-additives)
http://www.professionalpasta.it/ethiopian-pasta-production-is-booming/acessed date: January
2019).
GSJ© 2022
www.globalscientificjournal.com
GSJ: Volume 10, Issue 2, February 2022
ISSN 2320-9186 1962
Martins, et al., 2016. Food colorants: Challenges, opportunities and current desires of agro-
industries to ensure consumer expectations and regulatory practices. Trends Food Sci.
Technol., 52, 1–15
GSJ© 2022
www.globalscientificjournal.com
View publication stats
