Canadian natural food group SunOpta has completed the construction of a natural and organic sesame hulling plant in Ethiopia.
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To be operated as Selet Hulling, the operation is 35% owned by Tradin Organic Agriculture, a division within the SunOpta international and sourcing group.
The other 65% of the venture is owned by Kaleb Service Farmers House, an Ethiopian company.
Located near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the plant was funded by the joint venture partners with a financial grant from the Dutch government and has the capacity to process ten thousand metric tons of sesame per year.
The facility has the potential to generate revenues in excess of US$20m, the company said today (19 November).
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By GlobalDataSelet’s natural and organic sesame products will be sold exclusively by Tradin Organics to export markets to be used in the food ingredient and bakery industries. Additional investments will be contemplated to further process and add value to hulled sesame products as markets and applications are developed, the company said.
“The plant opening is the culmination of several years of hard work by the Selet team,” said Gerard Versteegh, president of Tradin Organic Agriculture. “We believe we not only have a very strong business opportunity in Ethiopia, but one that can really make a difference in the communities we do business in, having a positive impact on thousands of people. We are pleased to be part of this exciting venture and proud of our contribution to the economic development of this region.”
Selet said it is creating a “platform for sustainable agriculture” in Ethiopia which will provide “better incomes for farmers, improve the well-being of their families and provide needed support for local schools and other community infrastructure”.
