11 Share ADDIS ABABA- Concerted efforts are crucial to increase awareness among the society members and establish strong market linkages that help control illicit coffee trade in the nation, according to Oromia State Market Development Agency. Genet Abdella, Deputy Head of the Agency, told The Ethiopian Herald that the State is providing different training on how to control an illicit trade on coffee for farmers and exporters in collaboration with the Authority. According to her, the failure of the world market coffee price and the weak control system are serious factors that hinder the efforts of avoiding illegal trade on coffee crops during the past many years. Due to this, the State loses more than 28 million birr every year. As to her, close to 11 checkpoints exist in the State and illegal coffee trade control committees that are responsible for their nearest woreda were formed at each checkpoint. In addition to this, the task force- led by State’s president was organized at the State level and the task force is expected to carry out its duties till kebele level. On the other hand, encouraging coffee exporters, offering rewards for farmers to produce quality and competitive products, and arranging access to credit is what the State is doing, she added. Shafi Umer, Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority and Marketing Department Head, on his part said his sector is working to beef up control on illicit coffee trade through using various mechanisms. He agrees that selfishness, lack of integration, and bureaucratic system among others are serious problems that impede the endeavor of controlling the illegal trade during the past periods. However, following the reform, farmers have got more than six alternative ways to export their coffee legally. In the same way, coffee providers and exporters have a chance to gain more than three alternative ways to export coffee crops, unlike the previous days when they had one way of the system. According to Shafi, the Authority has prepared a plan and signed a memorandum of understanding recently with Addis Ababa City Administration and Diredawa City Administration to control illegal trade on the coffee crop. Moreover, the Authority has gained more than 15 million Birr from over 240 tons of contraband coffee in the past 2017 fiscal year. This shows that the country simply loses a huge amount of income through the cause of illegal coffee trade. Extending the control system from federal to kebele level is the other systematic way of controlling an illicit coffee trade, he said. The Ethiopian Herald July 27/2019 BY MESERET BEHAILU Share Facebook Twitter Email Print Previous article UAE offers entrepreneurial training for Ethiopian women Next article For a bright future of refugees RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR UAE offers entrepreneurial training for Ethiopian women Dire Dawa to install single-window service center Ethiopia, Eritrea preparing to seal trade agreement: MoFA Office says construction of GERD reached 68 percent EDITOR PICKS Controlling illicit coffee trade ensures the nation’s benefit UAE offers entrepreneurial training for Ethiopian women Dire Dawa to install single-window service center POPULAR POSTS Leaders of Ethiopia, Eritrea to seal cooperation accord : Amb. Redwan Somaliland to launch Berbera Project eyeing Ethiopia’s market The Ethiopian media landscape is now dominated by opinion Journalism POPULAR CATEGORY News1218 National-News998 Editorial-View-Point386 Development303 Society288 Herald Sunday Edition163 Business-Market91 Art-Culture85 Sport72 ABOUT US Ethiopian Press Agency, established in 1940, is a public media enterprise operating in Ethiopia. It is the sole publisher of the only daily Amharic language newspaper known as “Addis Zemen.” The enterprise also publishes “The Ethiopian Herald”, a daily newspaper except on Mondays in English language. Among its tabloids are the weeklies: “Berissa”- in the local Affan Oromo; and “Al-Alem”- in the international Arabic languages. The agency has yet another by-monthly magazine, known as “Zemen” in Amharic. With a current staff of more than 300, the Ethiopian Press Agency runs its own business affairs through own-generated incomes. Contact us: info@press.et FOLLOW US © 2018 Ethiopian Press Agency. All Rights Reserved.