Gov’t ponders to implement furniture import-substitution policy

Melaku Alebel, Ministry of Industry said Thursday that the government is considering implementing a policy intervention to substitute furniture products the country is importing.

Furniture is one of the commodities Ethiopia is importing.

Ethiopia spends $15 million in a year to import furniture, according to a data from Ministry of Industry.

Melaku said that governmental agencies, schools and health institutions are importing furniture spending a significant foreign currency.

“Government will implement a policy-intervention to substitute imported furniture,” Melaku said while he officially opened this year’s edition of FINTEX, an international Furniture, Interior and Finishing Expo at Ethiopian Skylight Hotel.

Though Ethiopia produces 70% of furniture locally, most of the raw materials for production are imported. In the past three years, Ethiopia imported $78.3 million worth furniture, Melaku disclosed.

He further explained that shortage of trained personnel and inputs are the major challenges in furniture manufacturing sub-sector.

The expo has attracted 41 local and 10 foreign companies; three of them are from Poland, one from Italy, three Turkey, two Germany and China represented by one company.

The expo will be remained open until Saturday, April 9, 2022.