2merkato

The new directive which makes bulk container shipping mandatory for Ethiopian exporters has been met with opposition from international buyers.

The new shipping system replaces the 60 kilogram bags used to export coffee with one container size bag into which coffee is stored. Associations representing major importers from Germany and Switzerland wrote letters of complaint against the new bulk container shipping to their Embassies in Ethiopia, the Ministry of Trade and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ethio Telecom announced that it has raised the salary of its employees by an average of 30%. The Ethiopian telecommunications provider offered employees back pay from July 8th of this year.

The raise was delayed by two years from when Ethio Telecom promised an increase. The employees at the telecommunication provider had not received a raise since the former Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation was reorganized as Ethio Telecom. 

The Ethiopian year-on-year inflation rate for November lowered to 39.2% from 39.8% in October according to official data released this week.

Consumer prices fell by 0.3% as compared to October, showing a decrease for the first time in nine months. Inflation for food items lowered from 51.7% in October to 50.3% in November.

Price pressure particular eased for items such as fruits and vegetables, spices, pulses, sorghum, maize explained the statement from the Central Statistics Agency. 

The Ethiopian Sugar Corporation is to import 300,000 quintals of sugar beginning in February. It is estimated that sugar imports, mainly from Brazil and India, will cost Ethiopia 555 million birr including warehouse rental and transportation.

The sugar will be imported at a cost of 1,850 birr for the quintal and is expected to retail for 1,264.40 per quintal on the Ethiopian market supported by government subsides.  The sugar will be sold by consumers’ cooperative unions and the Merchandise Wholesale and Import Trade Enterprise.