VOA标准英语 Ethiopia May Prosecute Coffee Exporters
时间：2019-01-13 作者：英语课 分类：VOA标准英语2009年(四月)
Ethiopia is considering legal action against coffee exporters who withheld 1 beans from the market in response to unfavorable market conditions, causing a drop in the country's revenue. Officials are hoping prosecution 2 of a few big exporters will send a warning signal.
Ethiopian President Meles Zenawi, (file photo)
Ethiopia's Prime Minister Meles Zenawi says six of the country's largest coffee exporters could be prosecuted 3 for what he called 'hoarding 4' beans.
"I only know of six companies who have legal issues, and I would not be surprised if some of them will be taken to court," Mr. Zenawi said.
Ethiopian authorities say stockpiling is contributing to an already severe foreign exchange shortage and they recently revoked 5 the licenses 6 of six big coffee exporters and closed their warehouses 7. They turned over sale of the beans to a state-owned commodity exchange.
Ethiopia is the world's sixth-largest coffee producer, and the biggest in Africa. But income from exporting the beans has fallen sharply during the past year. Analysts 8 say the drop is due to a poor harvest, weak world prices and a ban on Ethiopian imports by the country's biggest customer, Japan.
Prime Minister Meles said Monday he had warned the largest producers months ago that withholding 9 beans from the market constituted an attempt to 'sabotage 10' the economy. He told reporters prosecuting 11 the big exporters is intended as a lesson for smaller players in the market.
"The government is not pursuing the case in the hopes that the steps taken against these six companies will be an adequate signal to the rest of the actors in the sector 12 to behave in accordance with the law," Mr. Zenawi said.
Government officials had earlier attempted to reassure 13 markets, saying there is no plan to nationalize the coffee industry. Communications Minister Bereket Simon said last week the state would act only as a market regulator.
Trade Ministry 14 statistics indicate Ethiopia's coffee exports declined by more than 10 percent in the first eight months of the current fiscal 15 year, compared to the same period last year. Coffee accounts for about $500 million a year in foreign exchange earnings 16 or close to half the nation's total export revenue.
Industry sources say the United States buys about five percent of Ethiopia's coffee exports, or roughly 65 million kilograms a year. Japan had imported approximately five times more than the United States before the ban was imposed, after traces of insecticide were discovered in some bags of Ethiopian coffee.
- I withheld payment until they had fulfilled the contract. 他们履行合同后，我才付款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- There was no school play because the principal withheld his consent. 由于校长没同意，学校里没有举行比赛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
- He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。
- The editors are being prosecuted for obscenity. 编辑因刊载污秽文字而被起诉。
- The company was prosecuted for breaching the Health and Safety Act. 这家公司被控违反《卫生安全条例》。
- After the war, they were shot for hoarding. 战后他们因囤积而被枪决。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- Actually he had two unused ones which he was hoarding up. 其实他还藏了两片没有用呢。 来自英汉文学
- It may be revoked if the check is later dishonoured. 以后如支票被拒绝支付，结算可以撤销。 来自辞典例句
- A will is revoked expressly. 遗嘱可以通过明示推翻。 来自辞典例句
- Drivers have ten days' grace to renew their licenses. 驾驶员更换执照有10天的宽限期。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- Jewish firms couldn't get import or export licenses or raw materials. 犹太人的企业得不到进出口许可证或原料。 来自辞典例句
- The whisky was taken to bonded warehouses at Port Dundee. 威士忌酒已送到邓迪港的保稅仓库。
- Row upon row of newly built warehouses line the waterfront. 江岸新建的仓库鳞次栉比。
- City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
- I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。
- She was accused of withholding information from the police. 她被指控对警方知情不报。
- The judge suspected the witness was withholding information. 法官怀疑见证人在隐瞒情况。
- They tried to sabotage my birthday party.他们企图破坏我的生日晚会。
- The fire at the factory was caused by sabotage.那家工厂的火灾是有人蓄意破坏引起的。
- The witness was cross-examined by the prosecuting counsel. 证人接受控方律师的盘问。
- Every point made by the prosecuting attorney was telling. 检查官提出的每一点都是有力的。
- The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
- The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。
- This seemed to reassure him and he continued more confidently.这似乎使他放心一点，于是他更有信心地继续说了下去。
- The airline tried to reassure the customers that the planes were safe.航空公司尽力让乘客相信飞机是安全的。
- They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
- We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。
- The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
- The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。