Ethiopia has reported a rise earnings from meat export. Export Abattoirs Inspection and Certification Director at Ethiopia Agriculture Authority (EAA), Ayalew Shumet announced that the country has earned 110 million U.S. dollars from meat exports in the first 11 months of the Ethiopian Fiscal Year 2021/2022.
Shumet said the 11 months meat exports revenues showed an increase of 31 million U.S. dollars when compared with the same period last fiscal year.
“The main reason for the increase in meat exports revenues is that we pay special attention to quality and safety,” said Shumet, according to state media outlet Ethiopia Press Agency.
Ethiopia’s potential
Shumet, however, advised against complacency, stating that there is still much work to be done in terms of boosting the East African country’s potential in the meat exports industry. The EAA official also disclosed Ethiopia has the potential to export 300,000 tons of meat products annually with annual earning as much as 1.5 billion U.S. dollars. However, for that projection to be achieved, Shumet said the livestock supply, breeding system and market destinations, have to be improved.
Ethiopia has the largest livestock population in Africa, with 65 million cattle, 40 million sheep, 51 million goats, 8 million camels and 49 million chickens in 2020 (Central Statistics Agency, CSA, 2020a).
Between 2000 and 2016, the average stock of livestock, measured in tropical livestock units (TLU) per 100 people, stood at 51 TLU, which is more than double the continental median of 23 TLU. The gross production value average growth rate during the same period was 4.5% — also twice the continental median of 2.2% (FAO, 2019).
 Ayalew Shumet announced that the country has earned 110 million U.S. dollars from meat exports in the first 11 months of the Ethiopian Fiscal Year 2021/2022.){kind=link}