2merkato

Ethiopia is to begin the export of Damask Oil, an essential oil extracted from Rosa Damascena (a type of rose) beginning in August of 2012. The oil will be exported by Terra plc to Germany, to a company called Walla Gmbh.

Damask Oil used for its medicinal and cosmetic benefits can fetch as much as 7500 US dollars a liter.

Terra, owned and managed by German investor Dr. Awad Ghanem has began a trial production of the rose with 532 seedlings supplied by GTZ. The company currently has 35 thousand seedlings said Wogderes Negash, Manager of the farm found in Debre Berhan.

Ethiopia entered a power purchase agreement to export electricity to Kenya for 25 years. The agreement which is signed between Ethiopia and Kenya will be implemented in three phases.

During the first phase of the agreement, Ethiopia will export 65MW of electricity during off-peak hours and 200MW of electricity during peak hours. The second phase of the agreement will see the sale of 150MW of electricity during off-peak hours and 400MW during peak hours while in the third phase of the agreement, 400MW of electricity will be exported to Kenya at all hours.

Ethiopia has brokered an agreement to export electricity to South Sudan according to the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation.

The agreement was signed between EEPCo and the South Sudan Electric Utility Corporation represented by Mekuria Lemma, Corporate Planning Head and Ajuoi Chol, General Manager respectively. The signing ceremony was held last week at the Radisson Blu Hotel.  

The corporations agreed on interconnection project studies and installation of a transmission line to connect to the Ethiopian grid. The agreement states that the interconnection project will be carried out in two phases.

The Ethiopian Meat and Dairy Technology Institute, is seeking to export meat directly from Ethiopia to China.

Ethiopian meat including all internal organs is currently being exported to China via Vietnam but entering the Chinese market directly will be a significant development said Gedey Gebre Medhin, Director of the institute.

The institute has been dealing with problems associated with delays in the slaughtering process as well as seeking new export destinations said Gedey.

Ethiopia will export only finished leather goods beginning next month, announced the Ministry of Trade (MoT).

The groundwork has been laid to halt the export of raw hides and skin as of December said Ahmed Nuru representing the Minister of Trade at a half day consultative forum discussing the national leather sector.

Leather factories in Ethiopia have developed the capabilities to export finished leather goods said Ahmed. The factories have enhanced their capacity to add value to leather to a higher standard he explained.

Efforts to increase revenue from the leather sector to 497 million US dollars within the next five years are underway according to Ahmed.