An article in Berhanena Selam of Tikmt 26, 1918 E.C is some evidence for the growing Addis Abeba market in grain. This article notes that while in the year 1917 E.C, a total of 2,749 quintals of grain had been levied as tax and kind at the Addis Abeba Customs Office (i.e. paid as international custom duty), so far in the present year, 1918, a total of 5,500quintals of grain had been levied in tax. This amount of grain had been levied in only two months since the beginning of 1918 E.C. It seems likely that much a larger quantity of grain would have passed through the Addis Abeba Custom Office by the end of 1918 E.C.

Source: Research by David Chapple, made before the 1974 revolution