SOMALINET NEWS ...Archives
ETHIOPIA: GOVERNMENT EARNS OVER US $ 7 MILLION FROM HORTICULTURE EXPORT March 15, 2006
Apunyu Bonny
(SomaliNet) Ethiopia's horticultural products have earned the country 7.1 million U.S. dollars over the past seven months, officials said Tuesday.
The head of the horticultural products department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Sirak Alemu, told journalists that the sum was obtained through export of over 21, 000 tons of horticultural products in the previous seven months since August last year.
Sirak said that, Holland, Italy, Norway, Britain, Saudi Arabia and Djibouti were among the main export destinations. He said that finger millet and strawberry were among the major export items.
The regular export channels are the eastern border town, Dire Dawa and the capital Addis Ababa. Mean while the ministry has been distributing high-yield mango, apple, finger millet and strawberry varieties among farmers.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has been engaged in identifying areas suitable for horticultural development, he said.
Proximity to international markets such as Europe and West Asia, the ideal climate conditions all year round, the improved investment code in the country, the accessibility to bank loans and the availability of land has been Ethiopia’s strong side.