Ethiopian authorities on Tuesday announced a ban on exports of four types of grain in an effort to stabilise the local grain market.
The ban, taking immediate effect, includes the indigenous fine grain teff from which the country’s staple flat bread injera is baked.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry said in a statement published on Tuesday in the local press that the objective is aimed against the ”inflated prices” of the grains despite bumper crops.
It noted that despite bumper crops during the 2005-2006 harvest season and substantial grain production the previous year, there had been price hikes in food grain and other foodstuff due to smuggling of some types of grain out of the country in recent months.
The other three types of grain whose export has now been banned — wheat, sorghum and maize — are legally sold to neighbouring Sudan, Kenya, Djibouti, Somalia and the breakaway Somaliland, according to the same sources.
No figure was immediately available of the amount of grains involved in the illicit trade with Eritrea and the other five neighbouring countries. – Sapa-DPA