In an exclusive interview with ENA on Sunday, Institute Director, Sileshi Lemma said the country has already launched activities geared towards attaining the one billion US dollar export revenue goal it anticipates to get.

He said the country would try to minimize its local garment consumption which stands at 90 per cent currently and raise export volume during the reported period.

The amount in which the nation planned to get during the reported period will be 40 times that of the sum it got during the just-ended budget year which stands at 25 million US dollars.

He said the country aspires to obtain some 100 million USD from export of textiles in the current Ethiopian budget year.

The sector has shown remarkable development in the last five years, he said. The amount of foreign currency secured from export of garments has reached 25 million US dollars in 2002 EC from only four million USD some eight years ago.

According to the director, some 42 medium and high-level enterprises in Ethiopia engaged in the textile sector were taking part in the export trade directly or indirectly.

END/AB/9:00-9:32 am

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