Nation Saves over 2 Bln Birr by Transporting Export Goods in Shipping Containers Packed Locally

Addis Ababa August 5/2022 /ENA/ Transport and Logistics Minister Dagmawit Moges disclosed that over two billion Birr of logistics expenses have been saved by transporting export goods in shipping containers packed inside Ethiopia.

It is to be recalled that the macroeconomic committee reviewed on Wednesday the major economic performance of the just ended budget year and set directions for the upcoming budget year.

The success in the export sector in particular was reported, citing the reform implementation  has significantly contributed to the growth of the macro economy, registering over 4.1 billion USD revenue in the export sector in the fiscal year, it was indicated.

In this regard, the transport and logistics sector has played its part particularly in smoothing the country’s export processes by executing the new logistics strategy.

As recalled by Transport and Logistics Minister Dagmawit only eight percent of the Ethiopian  export products was transported to the global market in shipping containers.  

Ethiopia used to export its goods to the international markets in shipping containers by packing the goods in foreign countries with foreign currency; she noted adding that this had been a challenge in terms of the quality of the goods besides the huge logistics cost it incurs.  

The minister said that 64 percent of the total products exported to the international market in the last fiscal year was packed in containers inside the country.

In  this year, for the first time, 98 percent of coffee transported in containers packed locally, she indicated.

Following the reform that the country embarked on, the nation was able to save more than 5 billion birr by implementing the newly introduced logistics strategy, Dagmawit noted.

The Minister of Agriculture, Oumer Hussein said that the ministry has been working to facilitate the export trade of agricultural products in collaboration with other institutions.

Apart from agricultural products, the export performance of manufacturing industries is also improving, said the Minister of Industry, Melaku  Alebel.

As a result, the sector has generated more than 500 million US dollars during the previous budget  year by withstanding the various domestic  and foreign  pressures, he underscored.

He added activities have been carried out to improve the production capacity of industries in the country.

In this regard, Melaku  stated that this year alone, the production capacity of industries has increased  from 46 percent to 50.2 percent.

More than 250,000 citizens in the sector have been able to create permanent job opportunities in the year, he pointed out.