Coll 54/2 'Middle East (Official) Committee: Working Party' [‎26r] (51/642)

(d) Cotton* A short staple cotton is grown for internal
consumption only, and is cultivated in oaiall patches without any
system ol' controls; it is in consequence, of bad quality and.
/-n riddled with disease.
(3) Livestock.
(a) Cattle. The number of cattle in the country was
estimated in 1944 to be 15*400,000 distributed as follows:—
(it is not known how this estimate was made).
Milk production is low - the average daily production of a cow
being about 1 to 2 litres - with a fat content of about 5%. The
cattle are, however, good meat producers, and the nucleus of a
blood stock is being built up. A start was made in 1946, when
U.N.R.R.A. introduced some cattle for breeding improvement. This
was particularly necessary, as the European herds maintained by the
Italians had been destroyed during the war. But no improvement of
the quality of the Ethiopian cattle will be possible until successful
measures have been taken to reduce the very high incidence of rinder
pest. Lately a law was passed making the inoculation of cattle
compulsory, but it has had little or no practical effect, and, in
the sbsence of any means of enforcing this law, the veterinary experts
of the F.A.O. will be unable effectively to combat this disease.
(4) Livestock Products.
The export of hides, sheepskins and goatskins has increased
since the war, and during the 1 st two quarters these products
amounted to 25% in value of the total export trade. There is also
a small, but regular, export trade in beeswax each year (Eth.$ 260,600
from March 10th to June 7th this year), which at the present time
mainly finds its way to the United States.
2 Commerce - General .
The Ethiopian Government are, in theory at any rate, anxious
to modernise the country (though in practice they are often content
to achieve merely the most superficial appearance of modernisation)*
and, in the absence of native talent and experience, this process ’
demands the presence of European technicians and advisers in every
field of development. In Addis Ababa, but not elsewhere, the
attempt is being made to achieve a ’ , western ,, standard of living.
This, in view of the pastoral and non-industrial nature of the
country, depends on_the importation of nearly all consumer goods.
Furthermore, these imports are not as might be expected in a
primitive and undeveloped country, restricted to so-called
necessities, but include — perhaps, indeed, to cater for
the more sophisticated needs of the European community — a
wide range of the more expensive luxuries. The need, therefore,
for the import agent is considerable, and a relatively large
European and Eastern Mediterranean merchant class has established
itself.
Trade, however, is hampered to a great extent by bad communi
cations. Even were the necessary capital and enterprise available
the mountainous nature of the country and the rains would hamper 9
Oxen
Bulls
Cows
4.500.000
5 . 200.000
5,500,000
200,000
Calves
/the..*