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The export earnings of Ethiopia, for the month of October, were short of the targets set by the Ministry of Trade it was said. The Ministry of Trade of had set an export target of 300 million US dollars while export earnings totaled 200 million US dollars.

The export earnings for livestock, coffee, beverages, Khat, flowers, spices, wax, leather and leather products amongst others were 50-99% of targets. The export earnings for the month of October are also slightly less than the same time last year.

Export earnings were below target because the export of some products such as unfinished leather was halted said Abdurahman Seid Public Relations Deputy Coordinator of the MoT.

Ethiopia has earned 1.35 billion US dollars from the export of various goods in the first two quarters of the Ethiopian financial year according to the Ministry of Trade.

More than 35 kinds of agricultural and industrial products were exported to and estimated 120 countries across the world during the course of the financial period said Abdurahman.

Exports included coffee, khat, gold, oil seeds, live animals, leather and leather products, flower, garments, fruits and vegetables, meat and spices which make up 1.3 billion US dollars or 97% of the total revenue raised he said.

Mama Fresh Injera plc, Ethiopia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding and contract with the Erer Farmers Cooperative Union, the Oromia Regional Agriculture Bureau, the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency and the Oromia Regional Cooperative Promotion Agency.

The agreement will establish a partnership to launch and implement contract farming projects in Ad’a that will allow Mama Fresh Injera to source 730 MT of teff for the 2012 planting season. The agreement is planned to extend the collaboration for several years on the basis of the success of the effort and the lessons learned said the joint statement released by the stakeholders.

Ethiopian exports have dropped by 7% in the first quarter of the fiscal year according to the Ministry Trade. The total revenue earned from exports in the first quarter of the financial year was just 699.1 million US dollars.

The revenue from exports decreased due to lower demand for coffee and oil seeds on the international market according to the ministry.

Coffee exports to the international market raised a revenue of 199.3 million US dollars in the first quarter which ended in Oct. 10. The revenue earned from coffee was lower than the 201.9 million US dollars  earned by the nation over the same period a year earlier said the MoT. 

Exports from Ethiopia to the United States are still much lower then would be expected in light of the African Growth and Opportunity Act enacted by the US in the year 2000 to help sub-Saharan Africa export more to the US.

Although Ethiopian exports to the United States have grown steadily to reach an estimated 144.5 million US dollars the growth is much less than that seen in other African countries.

Ethiopia hopes to emulate the experiences of countries such as Mauritius and Lesotho to enhance its textiles trade to earn up to a billion US dollars in textile exports in the coming years.