ETHIOPIA – Ethiopia has achieved a new milestone in its coffee export industry, generating over US$196 million from the export of 42,322 tons of coffee in just one month.
According to the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority, this figure marks the highest monthly foreign currency earnings in the country’s history.
The Director General of the Authority, Adugna Debela, confirmed that the latest export volume represents a 165 percent increase, while revenue surged by 143 percent compared to previous targets.
Over the past 11 months, Ethiopia has exported a total of 252,446 tons of coffee, bringing in over US$1.2 billion.
This achievement surpasses the results from the same period in the past three consecutive years, according to the Coffee and Tea Authority’s Public Relations Executive, Sahlemaryam Gebremedh.
He credited the success to the collective efforts of coffee farmers, suppliers, exporters, and industry stakeholders.
The Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority has been implementing various initiatives aimed at improving production, productivity, and addressing marketing challenges.
A key improvement has been the streamlining of marketing practices, which has resulted in a more efficient system that significantly contributed to the record earnings.
Since the introduction of a direct marketing system in 2013, Ethiopia’s coffee industry has experienced remarkable growth. Suppliers and exporters now manage around 80-90 percent of the country’s coffee exports, leading to increased volumes, revenue, and product quality.
Ethiopia’s coffee is exported to over 60 countries, including top destinations such as the U.S., Germany, Belgium, Japan, Spain, and Saudi Arabia.
Ethiopian Airlines has also played a role in boosting the country’s coffee exports. In August, the airline reduced shipping fees for coffee products sent to Asia and the Middle East, offering a US$1.5 per kilogram discount on cargo services.
Ethiopia, recognized as the birthplace of Arabica coffee, remains Africa’s largest producer and exporter of coffee.
In the 2023/24 fiscal year, the country earned US$1.43 billion from coffee exports, solidifying its status as a key player in the global coffee market.
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