International trade of different forest products in Ethiopia

Forest products play a big role in the national economy of Ethiopia. Despite this fact there is a lack of information on the import and export and the trade balance, which is important for policy formulation. Therefore, the objectives of this study paper were: 1) to evaluate the income generated from the export of different forest products and quantify the expenditure to import; 2) to assess the trade balance. The analysed result revealed that Ethiopia is mainly exporting gums and resins, eucalypts logs and raw bamboo while it imported timber, different processed bamboo products and gums and resins. From the export of different forest products the country earned on average US$11,982,658 year−1. While, it spent on average US$12,145,587 year−1 to import. Finally, it is concluded that: 1) instead of the country exporting raw forest products it has to add values, and export it, which could increase the sale price and the income of the country; 2) Ethiopia spent more money to import timber, and therefore attention has to be given on the expansion of timber plantation species in the country since it has a favourable climatic condition.