ADDIS ABABA — The establishment of coffee bean tasting stations and the implementation of key measures to address challenges in the coffee sector’s value chain have significantly contributed to maintaining coffee quality, according to the Ethiopian Coffee Association (ECA).
In an exclusive interview with The Ethiopian Herald, ECA President Dessalegn Jena emphasized that setting up tasting stations in coffee-growing areas, along with government-led initiatives to resolve complex value chain issues, has played a pivotal role in ensuring high-quality coffee.
“Addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach. The government, in collaboration with the private sector and stakeholders, has been working systematically to resolve the issues facing the coffee sector,” Dessalegn said.
The Ethiopian coffee value chain has faced several hurdles, including limited market outlets, inadequate infrastructure, weak market linkages, and insufficient market information, he noted.
However, this year marks a milestone, with Ethiopian coffee prices rising on the global market for the first time in 40 years. Dessalegn highlighted that the country is focused on expanding into new markets, improving quality, and increasing both production and productivity to sustain this success and remain competitive.
The Ethiopian Coffee Roasters Association Chairperson Yohannes Assefa pointed out that Ethiopia currently exports 99% of its raw coffee, with only 1% being roasted or value-added products. He stressed the need for greater efforts to shift this trend and focus on exporting value-added coffee.
The shortage of financing, inadequate production facilities, technological gaps, and limited interest from global buyers in purchasing roasted coffee were identified as key factors limiting the export of value-added products.
Despite this, Yohannes expressed optimism that Ethiopia could attract foreign investors in the future, particularly for the production of instant and specialty coffee types.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD), during the House of Peoples’ Representatives’ review of the first half of the fiscal year, revealed that Ethiopia earned1.226 billion USD from coffee exports over the past eight months.
Thanks to several reforms implemented by the government and relevant stakeholders, Ethiopia exported over 257,000 tons of coffee during the first eight months of the 2024/2025 fiscal year. The country is projected to generate 2 billion USD in revenue by exporting over 400,000 tons of coffee.
The Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA) reported that Saudi Arabia, Germany, and the United States are the top three destinations for Ethiopian coffee exports. Belgium, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and China rank from fourth to seventh.
BY TSEGAYE TILAHUN
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SUNDAY EDITION 23 MARCH 2025
