Ethiopia: Ministry Unveils Warehouse System to Accelerate Standard Commodities Export

– The Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration (MoTRI) has launched a Warehouse Receipt System (WRS) project aimed at expediting standard commodity exports and improving warehouse management practices.

Speaking at the launch event yesterday, MoTRI State Minister Yasmin Wohabrebbi stated that the initiative is part of the government’s 10-Year Development Plan.

The pilot project has already been implemented for qualifying products and industrial inputs, yielding significant achievements in export trade and helping to address inefficiencies in warehouse operations.

She highlighted that the WRS project will address key challenges such as warehouse mismanagement, supply and demand imbalances, and shortages in industrial inputs.

Over the past five years, 141 farming communities have gained access to loans amounting to 2.2 billion Birr by providing approximately 553,160 quintals of commodities as collateral through the pilot program, Yasmin noted.

The State Minister also acknowledged the invaluable technical support provided by development partners, noting that the system will contribute to improved quality in commodity production and financing, increase benefits for cooperatives and unions, and support sustainable local consumption.

The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) Ethiopia Country Director Yihenew Zewdie (PhD) emphasized that the project creates an enabling environment for agricultural productivity, strengthens agribusiness value chains, and enhances producers’ capacity.

“This system has far-reaching implications for cross-border cooperation, seamless trade facilitation, improved bank confidence in collateral services, and broader trade-related matters,” he remarked.

Yihenew also reaffirmed AGRA’s commitment to deepening its engagement in Ethiopia, stating that the platform fosters stronger collaboration between the government and private sector through market-driven approaches.