For several centuries, Ethiopia's economy was dependent on agriculture. The country is blessed with suitable climate, abundant water and land resource which could grow various cereal species. But since it had been practicing subsistence farming, the country was not able to produce sufficient harvest that could satisfy domestic needs let alone the production of agricultural commodities which could compete in the international market. The Ministry of Trade indicates that the Ethiopian export sector has been depending mainly on gold, coffee, khat, livestock products, oil seeds and pulses, fruits, vegetables and flowers, textile, natural gum, spices and mineral products. Gold accounts 21 percent of total exports while coffee 19 percent in the first quarter of this Ethiopian fiscal year.
According to the book entitled 'Ethiopia's Export Trade' published by Government Communication Affairs Office, Ethiopia has exported various products that worth 2.6 billion USD the global market in 2016 fiscal year. When we see the preferable trade partners of Ethiopia, 1.1 billion USD or 43.7 percent export items were exported to Asian countries while 28.4 percent was delivered to European Union countries. It has also shipped 17.5 percent of the export items to African countries and 7.4 percent exported to North America.
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