Ethiopia has inaugurated the Ethiopian Specialty Coffee Association, a new national platform designed to elevate the global presence, quality, and competitiveness of Ethiopian specialty coffee.
The association was launched in the presence of Coffee and Tea Authority Director General Adugna Debela (PhD) and leading coffee exporters, marking a major development in the country’s coffee sector.
The announcement comes as Ethiopia’s coffee industry experiences one of its strongest periods in recent history. At the National Coffee Exhibition and Recognition Program held at the Science Museum in Addis Ababa, Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh and Minister of Trade and Regional Cooperation Kassahun Gofe (PhD) reported that Ethiopia exported 470,000 tons of coffee in the 2024/25 Ethiopian fiscal year, its highest volume on record, earning more than USD 2.6 billion. The government now targets 600,000 tons of exports and revenues exceeding USD 3 billion in the current fiscal year. The first three months have already seen 114,000 tons exported, generating USD 762.5 million.
Officials attributed the sector’s momentum to major reforms, improved farm management, and modernized supply chains. Over the past seven years, Ethiopia has planted more than 9 billion new coffee seedlings and renovated 700,000 hectares of aging plantations. As a result, national productivity has risen from 6 - 7 quintals per hectare to 9 quintals, with model farmers reaching 15 - 20 quintals, and some modern farms achieving yields as high as 60 quintals per hectare. These improvements, officials noted, further strengthen Ethiopia’s competitive standing among global coffee producers.
Against this backdrop of sector-wide growth, the Ethiopian Specialty Coffee Association will focus on promoting premium Ethiopian coffee internationally, ensuring high quality standards, and expanding opportunities for farmers, exporters, and cooperatives. Association President Ashenafi Argaw said the organization will work closely with producers and exporters to identify and classify Ethiopia’s unique-flavor coffees, while safeguarding the country’s global reputation.
Beginning this year, the association will also host an annual national specialty coffee competition, inviting international buyers to bid on standout coffees from across Ethiopia’s growing regions. Similar auction models have driven major growth in Panama and Colombia, a trend Ethiopian officials hope to replicate.
The association will serve as a central hub for research, knowledge transfer, training, and market expansion, bringing together farmers, cooperatives, exporters, researchers, and government agencies.
Source (including image): Sheger FM 102.1
Additional Source: Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority
