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Ethiopia is to ban the export of rough opal as part of an effort to encourage exporters to add value to gemstone and earn increased revenues according to sources at the Ministry of Mines. The ban on opal exports will be the second similar action following the ban of unprocessed tantalum just five months ago.

Almost 80% of the rough opal, used in the production of jewelry and ornaments, is primarily exported to India.

There are currently 17 associations made up of than 2 thousand miners are currently engaged in the mining of opal in the Amhara Regional States. The artisan miners in these associations sell the gems to an estimated 200 exporters licensed by the ministry. Add a comment Add a comment

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. Add a comment Add a comment

Ethiopia earned one billion US dollars from the export sector in just the last five months according to an announcement by the Ministry of Trade.

The revenue earned over this period has exceeded the revenue raised over the same period in the last fiscal year by 108.6 million US dollars said Amakele Yimam, Head of Publications and Communications with the ministry

A significant portion of the revenue raised came from the export of gold and coffee according to Amakele. Cereals, oilseeds, flowers and live animals were also significant contributors to the increased export revenue he added.

Ethiopian Airlines is contemplating regional merger proposal, but  merger don't appear likely and practical, Yisihak Zewolde, director of Star Alliance at Ethiopian told reporters. At the 44th Africa Airline Association conference in Johannesburg, Kenya Airways CEO, Titus Naikuni extended invitation of merger with the regional giants, Ethiopian and South African Airways.

Ethiopian took the proposal positively and is studying it at management level, however, Ethiopian has doubt on the feasibility of the merger, citing as instance that Ethiopian Airline belonging to the Star Alliance and Kenya Airways in SkyTeam.