2merkato

Elfora Agro Industry inaugurated a modern slaughterhouse for export services in Ethiopia. The facility was constructed at a cost of more than 15 million birr making the number of slaughterhouses owned by the company to six.

The new slaughterhouse is designed to prepare fresh meat on the bones for export purposes. It has the potential capacity to slaughter and store18 tons of goats and sheep daily. The facility will work for three days a week to provide a total of 54 tons of fresh meat a week, 216 tons a month and 2,400 tons per annum.

The waiting area of the slaughterhouse can accommodate 10,000 goats and sheep and 4,000 cattle.

Ethiopia is to host the 2013 African Growth and Opportunity Act Forum. Ethiopia is to host the event after senior government lobbied for the opportunity for the last four years.

Hosting the upcoming AGOA forum is an important opportunity for Ethiopia to create a platform to promote the country said Addis Alemayehu, ex-Chief of party of VEGA Ethiopia which assists Ethiopian exporters to the AGOA market under the auspices of USAID.

Ethiopia has invested more than any other African country in the AGOA sector as a result of which it has been selected to host the forum he said.

Ethiopia earned 71.1 million US dollars in revenue from the export of leather and leather products over the last seven months according to the Ministry of Industry.

The revenue raised in the reporting period exceeds that earned in the same period last fiscal year by more than 62% said Melaku Taye, Communications Director with the Ministry.

Ethiopian Horticulture Development Agency (EHDA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with International Saudi Agriculture (ISA) so as to enable the latter exporting organic banana to Saudi Arabia.

While signing the agreement, the Director General of EHDA Haileselassie Tekie said the agreement will enable Ethiopia to secure more than 100 million USD from the export of 60,000 tons of organic banana to Saudi Arabia within six months.

The agreement will benefit up to 30,000 small holder farmers directly or indirectly involved in the cultivation of organic banana by getting a better market price for the product. Besides, the export will create jobs for lots of compatriots in Arba Minch and the nearest localities in the SNNPs.