The Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority announced that capacity building and promotional efforts are actively ongoing to improve coffee production quality and boost export earnings.

Mohammed Shemsu, CEO of the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority\Authority, responded when contacted by the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA), saying that the country has prioritized promotional operations at international business-to-business and business-to-government conventions. He explained that in order to promote Ethiopia’s coffee to the international market, the authority is working to make use of significant venues including Cup of Excellence, Women in Coffee Conventions, and African Fine Coffee Association.

The CEO said “our coffee products reach close to 70 countries of potential buyers in the condition of variability and currently, our products with varieties of flavors are penetrating to East Asian, Arabian countries of which China and Korea are at the forefront. Similarly, we are streamlining an online market platform with some specialty coffees in the global market.”

Since updating and rebranding coffee species are the sector’s main focus areas, he said, the authorities also organized a variety of events. Additionally, he noted that the center, which is the first in East Africa to be furnished with cutting-edge technology for roasting and brewing, as well as sensory laboratories, has graduated students enrolling in short- and long-term trainings in two cycles.

According to Mohammed, the center has been fostering experts with a global understanding and expertise in post-harvest activities such coffee cupping, grading, roasting, grinding, brewing, packaging, and marketing. Likewise he added, universities located in coffee-growing regions are offering training programs to aid the private sector and produce decent jobs.

“We are working to expand coffee export centers thereby launching processing and inspection centers dawn to Jimma and Hawassa cities in a bid to facilitate a direct export of the commodity,” he remarked.

According to him, the country’s growth of coffee inspection and export terminals puts an end to the occurrence of problems during transit and transaction times. He cited the fact that coffee accounts for the largest portion of the agricultural sector and urged the government and other stakeholders to practice and assure healthy market competition by addressing any unlawful dealing and contraband.

Mohammed highlights the numerous strategies being used to increase coffee production by improving irrigation and cluster farming and learning from Brazil and Honduras. The administration has stated that plans are well under way to export 350,000 tons of coffee in this Ethiopian fiscal year, which is expected to produce over 1.7 billion USD.