Ethiopian Cotton Production has fallen short of the requirements of the sector by tens of thousands of tons according to the Ethiopian Cotton Producers Ginners and Exporters Association at the General Assembly held at the Sheraton Addis Hotel.

In spite of the lift of the export ban the Ministry of Industry gives priority to local demands. This means that growers will require approval from the Textile Industry Development Institute and the Ministry of Agriculture to export to a still weak international market.

The meeting was attended by Tadesse Haile, State Minister for Industry, and Wondirad Mandefro State Minister for Agriculture.

In related news Ethiopia reduced duties on imported materials for the textile and garment sector according to Sufian Ahmed, Minister for Finance and Economic Development.

The decision was made a meeting arranged between Sufian, and Mekonnen Manyazewal, Minister for Industry as well as senior representatives of the Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority, the Textile Development Institute and the Ethiopian Textile and Garment Association

Duties on imported textiles were reduced to 20 percent from 35 percent for garment manufacturers while no duties will be suspended for all imported spare parts required by textile and garment manufacturers.

The 10 percent excise tax charged upon production remains in place but in the form of a sales tax to be paid after the sale of their products said Sufian at the time who cautioned investors not to misuse the privileges.

Source: Fortune