Ethiopia will be importing pest-resistant improved cotton variety to address the raw cotton shortage that its textile industries are facing, the Ethiopian Textile Industry Development Institute (ETIDI) said on Thursday.Mesele Mekuria, Cotton Development Inspection Director at ETIDI, said the new variety will increase the countryΆs cotton harvest by up to 40 percent.

The country has already approved a proclamation which offers permission for the importation of cotton variety.

Following the increasing number of textile industries, the shortage of raw cotton is becoming acute, Fasil Tadesse, President of the Ethiopian Textile and Garment Manufacturers Association, said.

According to Fasil, the shortage, coupled with cottonΆs low quality, is affecting the countryΆs textile industries not to manufacture with their full capacity and become competitive.

Sileshi Lemma, Director General of ETIDI, said a study meant to address the shortage has been conducted and importing improved variety was taken as a solution.