ADDIS ABABA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian flower producers have expressed concerns over the impact of newly imposed U.S. tariffs on their flower exports to the U.S. market.
Miserach Berhanu, head of the Ethiopian Flower, Vegetable, Fruit, and Herbs Exporters Association, told local media The Reporter recently that the 10 percent tariff levied on goods exported from the East African country is "creating serious challenges for fresh cut flower exporters."
While acknowledging the existing three percent duty on flowers to the U.S., the report indicated that this sharp increase, coupled with the new tariff, "is expected to slow the progress exporters have made in the U.S. market over the past four years."
Earlier this month, the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture revealed that the country earned more than 360 million U.S. dollars from the export of horticultural commodities during the first eight months of the current fiscal year. Flower exports accounted for the largest share of this revenue.
Berhanu emphasized that although two-thirds of Ethiopia's flower exports are destined for the Netherlands, the U.S. has become a rapidly growing market for Ethiopian flowers, contributing around 45 million dollars in revenue last year.
Expressing concern, Berhanu stressed that the new tariff will likely raise the prices of Ethiopian flowers, ultimately providing a competitive advantage to countries with a geographical edge.
In response, Berhanu noted that Ethiopian flower producers are actively working to expand their market reach, primarily targeting Asia and the Middle East, to mitigate the effects of the new U.S. tariffs and boost revenue.
