The Ethiopian Horticultural Agency says it has begun exporting bananas produced in Arbaminch and its environs in South Ethiopia Peoples’ State for the first time. The organic banana project co-ordinator with the agency, Geremew Kenna, told ENA here over the weekend that 200 tonnes of the organic bananas were supplied every week under an agreement reached with a Saudi Arabian company.

Geremew said the agency was working in collaboration with the regional marketing and co-operatives union and the Agriculture Department of Gamogofa Zone to upgrade the quality of the bananas. According to documents obtained from the zone’s agriculture department, nearly 2.5 million quintals (250,000 tonnes) of the bananas were estimated to be harvested annually from an area of 7,912 hectares of land in banana-growing woredas (districts) of Gamogofa Zone.

Source: bernama.com

ETHOPIA – Between 15 and 17 November 2011, scientists, experts and development practitioners from the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture, universities and non-governmental and international organisations gathered in Addis Ababa to share research results on trypanotolerance in indigenous local cattle breeds in Ethiopia (Sheko, Abigar, Horro and Gurage) and experiences with community-based sheep breeding.

The Sheko breed got high attention in the workshop. It is small in number – almost endangered – yet highly trypanotolerant (resistant to sleeping disease/ nagana) in tsetse infested areas, but communities are reluctant to adopt the Sheko breed because of its endangered status.

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According to the data newbusinessethiopia.com received from the Ministry Trade, Ethiopia exported products worth 563.4 million US dollars during the first three months (July 8 – October 7, 2010) of the current fiscal year, while the country secured 342.7 million US dollars for the previous fiscal year first quarter, which is 64.3 percent less.

Income from oil seeds export has grown by 274 percent followed by 183 percent income growth from minerals export not including gold and tantalum. The Foreign currency Ethiopia earned in the past three months from gold export has also increased by 172 percent followed by 171 percent increment of income from cosmetics (hair oil) export, which the result of export diversification of the country.

Earning from vegetable and fruits export has also contributed to the overall income growth of the country during the stated period growing by 131 percent followed by 111 percent income growth from animal drug export. Ethiopia has also earned 35.3 million US dollars from live animal export during this period, 100 higher than the previous fiscal year first quarter income.

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The Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) said that it is undertaking various activities to enhance the country’s foreign currency earnings by producing and exporting best varieties of red pepper.

Vegetable crops project coordinator of the Melkassa research center with EIAR, Shimels Aklilu told WIC that preliminary activities are underway to enhance the country’s foreign currency earnings through producing and exporting best varieties of red pepper.

The research center is exerting efforts to develop chili peppers by importing seeds from India, China and Thailand, which are known for their finest verities of peppers, the coordinator said. Shimels also indicated that researches are also underway on how to develop different varieties of chili peppers for consumption and food coloring purposes.

He also pointed out that the best varities will be distributed among farmers. The coordinator said that the research center has also provided assistance to farmers to develop green peppers for domestic consumption. Moreover, the center has distributed various species of red pepper to farmers who practice rain-fed agriculture, he added.

The Vice President of the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), based in Thailand, said that the Agricultural Development-led Industrialization (ADLI) strategy implemented in Ethiopia is helping the country to register development strides within a short period of time.

Institute Vice President Professor Sudip K. Rakshit told WIC that the agricultural policy being implemented in Ethiopia has benefited the rural people in the country.

Remarkable achievements are being obtained in the country due to the government’s effort in encouraging farmers to use new technologies and agricultural inputs so as to improve their livelihoods.

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