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Ethiopia has earned over 104 million dollars from the export of shoes, leather and leather products during the fiscal year to 7 July 2011, the Leather Industry Development Institute said.

The income exceeds that of the previous fiscal year by 50 million dollars. The items were exported to the United States Europe Asia and African countries, Birhanu Sirjabo, communication director of the institute, said.

Ethiopia earned 62.2 million dollars from the export of textile in the fiscal year to 7 July 2011 achieving 73.1 percent of its projection. The amount is a 178 percent increase from the previous fiscal year’s earning which was 23.2 million dollars.

In June 2011 alone the country earned 6.9 million dollars. The money earned in the same period last year was 3.3 million dollars.

Ethiopian coffee production estimated to fall 18%

Tanzanian Coffee Board said today that the country’s coffee output may fall 20 percent in the year through June 2012 following a drought stunted growth.

Production may fall to 45,000 metric tons from 56,247 tons in the 2010-11 season, Adolph Kumburu, director general of the board, said.

The International Coffee Organization (ICO) said yesterday that coffee output in Ethiopia might drop by 18 percent in the 2011-12 crop year as a result of a smaller crop in the country.

Output in Ethiopia is expected to fall to 14.4 million bags the coming season from 17.5 million bags in the 2010-11 crop year. The ICO attributed the drop in production to poorer performance in the country.