Assessment on Impact of Live Animal Export on Meat Export Performance in Ethiopia; Policy Implications

Abstract

Ethiopia has one of the largest livestock populations in Africa. Due to lack of livestock market structure, performances, prices are poor and inadequate for designing policies and marketing system, the sector has remained stagnant. Despite fluctuation over years, the exports of meat (16,877 tonnes) and live animals (472,041 head) have significantly increased in 2010 -2012 Ethiopian Fiscal Year (EFY), recording 69 % increment from the previous years (kefyalew,2011). In 2018/19 EFY live animal contributes 33% of the earning, while 67 % was obtained from meat export (ERCA, 201819). However, lack of export routes and ports, illegal live animal trade, shortage of live animal and lack of appropriate breeding programs are some of the main challenges faced to the sector (kefaylew,2011). The presence of large livestock population with diverse and adaptable genotypes, and diverse agro-ecologies for production of different types of livestock; expansion of agro-industries and the increase of by product feedstuffs allowing for enhanced productivity; proximity of the middle east countries, high demand for meat and live animals including the domestic market are some of the opportunities that the sectors have. Therefore, the country would have been benefited more from the sector if the aforementioned challenges have been overcome. (Ameha,2011)