Review on live animal and meat export marketing system in Ethiopia: challenges and opportunities

Abstract

Livestock production systems in Ethiopia are generally subsistence oriented and productivity is very low. Hence this paper is aimed to assemble the subsisting information on live animal and meat market source and structure, to compile existing information on the opportunities and challenges of live animal and meat marketing, and to provide a highlight on the livestock production system of Ethiopia. Accordingly, low productivity of the animals and the absence of market-oriented production systems are described as the main constraints of livestock production in the country. In Ethiopian, for the demand of live animal and meat, there are different opportunities like domestic consumption, official exports and high demand of animals by the export abattoirs. However, various internal and external factors are described under the challenges of live animal and meat marketing system in Ethiopia and it includes: absence of effective grading system, absence of market information system, absence of promotional activities, supply problems, prevalence of diseases, traditional production system, and illegal export trade, inadequacy of infrastructure, competition, repeated bans and inadequate port facilities. From this review it has been recommended that major disease should be controlled, legal channels, market infrastructure and service facilities along borders and implementation of strategies with neighboring countries for legalizing trade should be developed. Livestock transportation facilities, improved slaughter house, livestock resting sites, and storage and quarantine facilities at required sites should be present. In addition, the government should be actively involved for the control of illegal trade of live animals across the borders.