ADDIS ABABA– Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority said that the government has taken viable measures to prevent the revenue lost due to coffee price fluctuations and support coffee producers and exporters to enhance the nation’s foreign earnings whilst giving prime attention to contain the impact of coronavirus pandemic in the sector.
Briefing journalists yesterday, Authority Deputy General Head Shafi Umer said that the Authority has been implementing a ‘Contract Administration System’ and offering awareness raising programs to more than 2, 000 coffee producers so as to address bureaucratic setbacks and shorten the market supply chain. Quality gaps and bureaucratic challenges are major factors for coffee’s unsatisfactory performance thereby declining foreign earnings the nation has expected to gain over the years.
The deputy head noted that the contract administration system has brought about a significant result and the authority secured 104 million USD from coffee exports last month, met 91 percent of the plan. April’s performance has exceeded that of the past nine months of the current budget year, which is stood at 83 million USD.
Furthermore, the authority has given license for farmers and exporters in order to enable them to supply produces to the international market without interference. The authority has also been taking corrective measure against exporters who do not abide by the contract. So far, close to 600 farmers have obtained export permits whilst 60 of them have begun direct export from farms.
Shafi added that the authority has been implementing Code of Conduct and establishing shades so as to identify high-value coffee crops in the productive areas thereby enhancing foreign earnings. It has also been engaged to solve diverse challenges in the coffee production scientifically and consult coffee producers and exporters in a bid to solve the challenges they have been encountering.
Productive Marketing CEO with the Authority, Mergiya Beyesa said on his part that active collaboration of producers and exporters is crucial to ensure sustainable benefit from coffee crop.
Accordingly, the authority distributed 62 digital qualifications to all branches so that facilitating the coffee market across the country. Shades equipped with modern technologies and facilities have been established in every branch so as to take coffee samples.
Meanwhile, ensuring farmers benefit, increasing revenue, providing quality coffee product and addressing bureaucracy and contraband are areas the authority has given utmost priority. Sharing technology and research-based problem-solving approach are also attached equal consideration to form strong collaboration with stakeholders, the CEO noted.
The Ethiopian Herald May 16/2020
BY MESERET BEHAILU
City donates water pumps, tractors to farmers
ADDIS ABABA (FBC) – Addis Ababa City Administration has donated over 200 water pumps and 5 tractors to farmers in the capital aimed to enhance agricultural productivity and food supply.
The handover has been made by Deputy Mayor Engineer Takelle Umma and Head of Addis Ababa Prosperity Party Office, Tesfaye Beljige.
“Making Addis Ababa new as its name suggests means Making Addis Ababa suitable for everyone. This stride includes our farmers.” Engineer Takelle said on the hand over event.
The appropriation of the agricultural machinery aims to prevent food crop shortage in the capital, enhance productivity of farmers besides supporting the urban farming program initiated by the city administration, the Deputy Mayor said on the occasion.
The support enables the city administration play its irreplaceable role in addressing the growing agricultural output demand of the community, Engineer Takelle added.
A number of investors who are engaged in several sectors in the city have also donated tractors to farmers in the capital so far, it is indicated.
The Ethiopian Herald May 16/2020
