Case IH, a brand of CNH Industrial and one of the world’s leading farm equipment manufacturers, is delighted to announce the appointment of Addis Ababa-based Wereta International Business PLC as its official distributor in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
The occasion was celebrated on Saturday 16 November during a special ceremony at the Intercontinental Hotel in Addis Ababa, where Case IH tractors were displayed at the entrance.
This major event was attended by 300 guests, including high officials of Ethiopia’s federal and regional government and representatives of the Italian Embassy in Addis Ababa, together with managers of farming businesses throughout the country.
Case IH was represented by Vincent de Lassagne, CNH Industrial General Manager for the Middle East, Africa and Pakistan; Paola Penazzo, CNH Industrial Dealer Development & Customer Experience – Agriculture for Asia, the Middle East and Africa; Marcin Ruppert, Case IH Marketing Manager for the Middle East & Africa and Nardos Admasu, Case IH Business Manager for Ethiopia, Eretria, Somalia, South Sudan, Rwanda.
“This is a very special day, both for Case IH and Wereta,” Marcin Ruppert stated. “We have worked with this forward-thinking company since 2018, and it became our official distributor for Ethiopia on 1 July 2019. Since then, Wereta has been very active in promoting Case IH products, and we are now the market leader for tractors from 110hp to 140hp.”
Established in 2008, Wereta International Business PLC is based in Addis Ababa and highly respected by its suppliers and customers. The company currently employs 180 staff in various business units, which include the manufacture of PVC flooring, synthetic leather and shoe soles, a transport division for the movement of liquid and dry bulk goods, together with a wholesale trade and local supply division.
Wereta International Business PLC is also a major exporter of high-quality organic coffee, oilseeds, spices and pulses. Additionally, it imports trucks, construction and earthmoving machinery, industrial products and commodities such as construction materials and tyres, products for food processing, together with agricultural machinery and implements. Sales of machinery and equipment are supported by a team of trained technicians, the latest diagnostic equipment, planned maintenance programmes and a comprehensive spares parts inventory.
Operated by a professional management team, Wereta International Business PLC is a member of Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Association (AACCSA) and Ethiopian Pulses, Oilseeds and Spices Processors-Exporters Association (EPOSPEA). The company also purchases agricultural commodities for export at the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX) through companies that have seats in the ECX.
AGRICULTURE IS THE PRIMARY INDUSTRY
Ethiopia is perhaps best known for its coffee, although other cash crops such as oilseeds, like sesame, linseed and niger, are produced on the country’s farms, along with beans, including soya and fava, which are grown primarily for export. Wheat, maize and teff (an African cereal cultivated almost exclusively in Ethiopia mainly to produce flour) are also widely produced, mostly for domestic consumption, along with vegetables and fruit.
Although the country’s economy is focused primarily on agriculture, most farm work is still carried out manually. Farm mechanisation is at an early stage in Ethiopia, but this situation is being addressed by the country’s government and Farmers Unions which purchase equipment and carry out work on behalf of individual farms, together with service providers who own machinery and lease it to farmers.
“Case IH recognises that working closely with Wereta to encourage more farms to mechanise their operations will help to improve the efficiency and productivity of the farming sector in Ethiopia and contribute to growing the economy,” Marcin Ruppert adds.
“Demand for agricultural tractors in Ethiopia is running at a high level, and Case IH has an excellent reputation amongst farmers who recognise the very high quality of our products, which are well suited to the country’s weather and soil conditions.
“As a full-line farm equipment manufacturer, we are well known for supplying machinery which delivers excellent performance. Our 125hp Maxxum 125 is now the best-selling tractor in Ethiopia, while other models such as the 140hp Maxxum 140, Farmall 110 JX and Axial-Flow® 4088 Series combine harvester, along with our SB Series small square balers, are gaining in popularity amongst the country’s farmers.”
