Ethiopia becomes the leading African coffee supplier

04 September 2006

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia becomes the leading African coffee supplier to the international market both in quality and quantity, State Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development said.

Speaking at Quality Coffee Project consultative workshop, Dr. Abera Deressa said the Quality Coffee Project has contributed a lot toward the present success.

He said on-going efforts geared toward increasing both the quality and quantity of coffee should be further strengthened.

Coffee accounts approximately over 50 percent of the country's export volume at present, he said.

The Quality Coffee Project not only enabled Ethiopia earn foreign currency but also improved the livelihood of coffee-growers in the country, according to the minister.

Project co-coordinator, Yehasab Aschalew on his part said Ethiopia has become the leading African coffee supplier to the international market surpassing Ivory Coast.

He said the project has been launched in six woredas of the Oromia State and the South Ethiopia Peoples' State with the support from the government and international partners.

The project has been providing material, technical and advisory support to coffee-growers in producing sun dried coffee, he said, a result the coffee-growers were able to supply over 200 tons of varied coffee to market.

(ENA)