Ethiopia has significantly boosted its coffee exports, surpassing targets and penetrating 20 new international markets within the first 11 months of the current fiscal year, the government announced.
The Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA) reported that the nation exported 409,605 tonnes of coffee, well above the planned 280,887 tonnes.
Shafi Umer, Deputy Director General of ECTA, attributed the performance to strategic reforms and the establishment of East Africa's first coffee tasting centre, Ethiopian News Agency reports.
Authorities said direct export rights were also given to licensed farmers, empowering over 100 Ethiopian coffee growers to independently export their produce.
The government's Green Footprint programme has seen the expansion of coffee exports into 20 new countries, reducing reliance on traditional buyers, authorities added.
Hussein Ambo, President of the Ethiopian National Coffee Association, said there are planned collaborative efforts to promote Ethiopian coffee through national and international events, including the planned Ethiopian Coffee Tourism and Exhibition in 2025.
