Commodity export earnings of Ethiopia during the first nine months of the current fiscal year of the country starting July 8, 2019 has increased by 10 percent reaching $2.09 billion compared to same period the previous year.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry of Ethiopia indicated that the plan for the period was to generate $2.68 billion export revenue. In the face of declining global trade caused by disruption in the supply chain caused by COVID-19 outbreak, the export performance of the country is encouraging, according to Wondimu Filate, Communications head at the Ministry.
He noted that flower, fruits and vegetables export have contributed to the increase of the revenue. During the past nine months period, the country has also managed to achieve 75 percent of its target for export of textiles, coffee, natural gum and electronics.
Ethiopia has also attained 50 to 74 percent of its export target for tantalum mineral, oil seeds, meat spices and tea during the period. It is stated that the country’s target for gold, leather and leather products and live animals export is attained less than 50 percent.
in a related development to boost export and productivity of the horticulture sector, the Government of Ethiopia today appointed Wondale Habtamu to lead the horticulture sector with the rank of State Minister at the Ministry of Agriculture.
After the liquidation of The Ethiopian Horticulture and Agricultural Investment Authority this is the first appointment of a dedicated high level official for the sector.
Flower export
Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA) said Mother’s day boosted the Ethiopian floriculture export; uplifted in 1,688,001 kilograms of of flowers.
As Mother’s day is the most important week of the year for the floriculture industry globally, Ethiopia managed to export 1,688,001 kg of flowers to Europe during the month of May 01-10, 2020
Earlier it was reported that Ethiopia has lost about $25 million from the horticulture sub-sector since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.
Considering the severe challenge and unprecedented adverse complications occurred during the Coronavirus, the Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA) has been working relentlessly by urging the government to bailout the sector on issuing intervention areas which needed immediate action.
To this effect the government of Ethiopia has given a timely decisions to support operators of the sector. Ethiopian Airlines has also shown its usual invaluable and irreplaceable solidarity to the industry during the hard times, according to EHPEA.
Currently the export of flowers from Ethiopia has shown an increment in volume and price within the past weeks.