BGI Gets Creative to Protect Winery

May 15 , 2021


[ssba-buttons]

BGI Ethiopia has adopted an innovative method to keep birds from eating the fruits at its Castel Winery vineyard in the Ziway area. The company has brought in remote-control drone technology and four trained falcons to keep the pests away from its crops. Traditional methods like using smoke, noise from whips, and slingshots, proved ineffective as the birds were still able to consume a portion of the grapes harvested at the winery, which is why the company turned to technology. The drones brought in are currently being operated by French professionals, but they are training their Ethiopian counterparts, who are hoped to replace them shortly. Castel Winery Ethiopia was first established in 2007 and currently offers a dozen varieties of wine on the market.


Radar

Amendment Expands Access for Foreign Traders

Foreign participation in Ethiopia's wholesale, retail, import, and export trade sectors has come under renewed focus as the Ethiopian Investment Board(EIB) approved a significant amendment to Directive No. 1001/2016  in its meeting on May 23, 2025. The amendment, proposed by the Ethiopian Investment Commission(EIC), focuses on refining the legal framework governing foreign investment in these sectors. The decision is part of a broader strategy to enhance the country's appeal as an investment...


Radar

NBE Sets Four Percent Ceiling on Foreign Exchange Fees

The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) issued a new foreign exchange market directive on May 20, 2025, that caps commercial banks' forex service fees at a maximum of four percent. Banks are instructed to adapt competitive, transparent, and streamlined pricing for all forex-related services. Effective May 26, 2025, total charges for purchasing foreign exchange whether for imports, service payments, or cash note purchases must not exceed the newly set limit. The directive also prohibits banks f...


Radar

SantimPay Launches Zero-fee Digital Remittance Platform

SantimPay has rolled out FrankRemit, first fully integrated, zero-fee digital remittance platform, in partnership with Bank of Abyssinia(BOA). The service smoothly connects all commercial banks and major mobile money providers, including Telebirr, M-Pesa, and CBE Birr which is a first of its kind in the country. FrankRemit is expected to revolutionise how the Ethiopian diaspora sends money home. Developed locally and tested over the past two weeks with successful transfers from multiple count...