Ethiopia eyes expanded coffee value-addition to boost export earning

Addis Ababa: The Ethiopian government has intensified efforts to expand coffee productivity and value addition in a bid to bolster much needed foreign...

Addis Ababa: The Ethiopian government has intensified efforts to expand coffee productivity and value addition in a bid to bolster much-needed foreign currency earnings from the sector.

The East African country, which posted a record 2.65 billion U.S. dollars in revenue from the export of 468,967 tonnes of coffee during the 2024/2025 Ethiopian fiscal year that ended on July 7, has prioritized boosting value-added coffee exports to augment earnings, the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA) announced on Friday.

The shift toward expanding the export of value-added coffee from traditional raw beans is part of a broader strategy to maximize returns from Ethiopia's position as Africa's leading producer, the state-run Ethiopian News Agency quoted ECTA Director General Adugna Debela as saying.

Noting that sustained attention has been given to the sector in recent years through a 15-year national coffee development strategy, Debela said various efforts are currently underway to identify structural problems in the sector, aiming to increase coffee productivity and expand export market destinations.

"Competitiveness in the global market depends not only on the volume of coffee exports but also on its quality. Strict monitoring is being carried out to ensure that coffee is produced with high quality," he said.