Dukem to Start Shoe Production in Two Months

The Chinese shoe factory Hujjian International Shoe City, at a cost of 100 million dollars, is to start production in Dukem, 37km from the capital, after two months, according to the company. The factory will have the capacity to produce 3,000 pairs of export standard shoes in a day, it will also create jobs and learning opportunities in China for more than 100 Ethiopians, according to Berhanu Negusu, head of quality authorisation at the Leather Industries Development Institute (LIDI).

Industrial Zone Gains 681ht from City Admin

Some 681ht of land was presented to the Ministry of Industry (MoI) from the Addis Abeba City Administration to commence construction of an industrial zone, according to the office. This is expected to boost and upgrade the industry in the country, especially in the capital city, up to international standards, according to Tadesse Haile, minister at the MoI.

Kembata Harvests 60ql of Wheat in Each Hectare

Over 60ql of wheat a hectare have been harvested in Kembata Tembaro Zone, Southern Regional State, which is expected to generate 100,000 Br in income, for this Ethiopian fiscal year, surpassing the 22ql of the same period last year, according to the local farmers. This amount was harvested from picalora wheat, sourced from the East African Special Seed Enhancement Project Office, according to Daniel Damtew, head of the agricultural bureau of the zone’s office.

Kembata Coffee Production Doubles

Some 3,400tn and 1,600tn of washed and unwashed coffee, respectively, from Kembata Tembaro Zone is to be capitulated to the central market in this Ethiopian fiscal year, exceeding the 2,400tn of coffee of the same period last year, according to the zone’s agriculture and rural development bureau. There are 60 coffee producers training at the 16 first-rate coffee developers’ training centres, according to Achiso Gichamo, supervisor of the market in the zone.

Bale Zone Honey Income Quadruples

Over 12 million Br was obtained from the sale of 250,000kg of honey in Berbere Wereda, Bale Zone, Oromia Regional State, from some 2,000 farmers engaged in apiary development over the past five months of this Ethiopian fiscal year, surpassing the three million Birr of the same period last year, according to Seifedin Kassim (PhD), the representative of the wereda’s Animal Resources Development & Health Office.

Oromia Co-op Bank Provides 1.3b Br to Agriculturalists

The Oromia Cooperative Bank (OIB) has provided 1.3 billion Br in loans to its customers engaged in farming, pastoralism, and agro processing through unions and cooperatives for the purchase of various agricultural inputs, according to Wondimagegne Negera, president of the Bank. The Bank is extending its accessibility to farmers and pastoralists to play a significant role in mobilising domestic resources through the accumulation of savings, according to him.

Production Phase Ago Processing Projects Reach 814

Some 814 agro processing projects, mainly focussing on dairy, sesame, meat, cotton, and horticulture, valued at 3.1 billion Br have entered the production phase, according to Mohammed Seid, planning and information management director of the Ethiopian Investment Agency (EIA). There is a plan to establish a one-stop shop service to deliver efficient investment licensing, which will help the agricultural sector flourish to eventually constitute 45pc of the national economy, according to him.

Africa Avenue Upgrade Commences

The project to upgrade Africa Avenue commenced construction at a cost of 60 million dollars, opened by Kuma Demeksa, mayor of Addis Abeba, and Jii Yu Yan, Chinese ambassador to Ethiopia, on January 5, 2012, according to the Addis Abeba City Roads Authority (AACRA). There is a plan to complete construction ahead of time by preventing potential complications, according to Fekade Haile, general manager of the AACRA.

SC to Build Recreation Centre at 96.5m Br

True Way Capital Services SC is to build a park and a family recreation centre on a 4,400km plot of land around CMC area, at a cost of 96.5 million Br, according to the company. Some 50 million Br has been collected from the sale of shares. The company envisions collecting 38pc profit, annually, from the centre, according to Bekele Eshete, general director of the board.