ADDIS ABABA – The United States has become the second Ethiopian Coffee export destination, next to Saudi Arabia, according to the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority.
A press release by the Authority on the 11 month execution report indicated that during the last eleven months America has purchased 20,221.73 metric ton Ethiopian coffee which earned Ethiopia a 106.31USD foreign income exchange.
This is the result of good promotions by the Authority in different states of the United States very recently. Also,the specialty coffee expo in Boston which brought together more 40 Ethiopian coffee exporting companies, producers and cooperatives is said to play a big role for the achieved results according to the report.
Pertaining to main coffee destinations Saudi Arabia, America and Germany are leading the row respectively.
The report also revealed that on the current fiscal year until May Ethiopia has exported 28,448.99 tone coffees and earned 95 million USD foreign earnings.
In the last year Ethiopia has exported 26,000142 ton and earned 94.51 million USD,comparing the coffee export volumes and foreign earning to last year, coffee has showed a growth of 3.82 in volume and 0.70 percent in earnings.
Meanwhile, According to Sentayehu Girma Communication Directorate Director with in The Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority, the American agriculture service report forecasts Ethiopian coffee to increase in production and supply on the coming year.
As to the report Ethiopia’s coffee production for May 9/20 (Oct-Sep) is forecasted at 7.35 million 60-kilogram bags or 441,000 metric tons. Exports are forecasted to reach a record 4 million bags or 240,000 metric tons.
Ethiopia’s coffee production in 2018/19 is estimated at 7.25 million 60-kilo bags. 150,000, 60- kilo bags as the report estimated. The report indicated that the situation is due to favorable weather conditions, low disease and pest pressure, enough rainfall in coffee growing areas of the regions and better extension services in some coffee growing areas.
All coffee production is rain fed; thus, precipitation is the most important production factor. Small landholder farmers produce 95 percent of Ethiopia’s coffee in varied environments, including forest, semi forest, garden, and plantation coffee. Under the government’s second Growth & Transformation Plan (GTP II), May 19/20 the production is predicted to come in at 1.1 million metric tons. Coffee productivity is also projected to increase from 0.75 tons/ hectare in 2014/15 to 1.1 tons per hectare by 2019/20. Total production is projected to increase from 420 thousand tons in 2014/15 to 1103 thousand tons by 2019/20 according to the report.
The Ethiopian Herald June 23/2019
BY FASICA BERHANE
