- Coffee Ethiopia's Number 1 Export
Ethiopia's economy is based on agriculture, which accounts for half of GDP, 60% of exports, and 80% of total employment. Coffee is critical to the Ethiopian economy with exports of some $156 million in 2002. (adapted from CIA - Fact book).
At present Japan stands second in purchasing Ethiopia's coffee after Germany. Today, there are over 100 Ethiopian coffee exporters, compared to just 17 during the Derg. The largest is Nejat International PLC, with 11% of total exports, followed by government-owned Ethiopian Coffee Export Enterprise (8% of the total) and Moplace Trading Co. Ltd. (5%).
| Coffee Farms: |
331,130 peasant farms
19,000 state farm coffee areas |
| Coffee Workers: |
about 12 million |
| Shade-Grown: |
55% light shade
33% medium
17% heavy |
| Major Coffee Growing Regions: |
Harrar,
Sidamo,
Yirgacheffe (in Sidamo),
Limmu,
Djimmah,
Lekempti,
Bebeka |
| Botanical Cultivars: |
Native arabica (arabica coffee is indigenous to Ethiopia) |
| Harvest Times: |
Washed: August-December
Dry: October to March
Exports all year |
| Certified Organic: |
None certified: all coffee grown organic by tradition |
| Rank in Production:: |
1st in Africa
7th in World |
Other Ethiopian Exports are:
Leather and Leather Products Ethiopia also offers a wide range of processed and semi-processed hides & skins to the world market. This sector accounts for about 14% of the total exports. Ethiopia's high quality exportable hides & skins include: pickled, wet blue and crust sheep skins; wet blue & crust goat skins; crust cow hides, finished garment leather, lining/upper leather, suede leather, full grain leather, embossed leather, patent leather, and so on.
Live Animals & Meat Ethiopia has the largest cattle population in Africa. Livestock husbandry is mostly carried out under natural grazing, making the meat and products very tasty & nutritionally healthy.
Oil Seeds & Pulses the oilseeds and pulses of Ethiopia are also known for their flavor and nutritional value as they are mostly produced organically. The major oilseeds & pulses for export include; sesame seed, nigger seed, linseeds, sunflower seeds, ground nuts, rape seeds, castor oil seeds, pumpkin seeds, haricot beans, pea beans, horse beans & chick peas.
Natural Gum the country is endowed with distinct climatic conditions which enable to grow diverse plant species used for industrial and pharmaceutical purposes. Among these are some famous plants for the production of natural gum. Gum Olibanum derived from Boswellia, Gum Myrrh and Oppiponex from Commiphora and Gum Arabic from Acacia species are the major gum products produced mainly for export market. Apart from their pharmaceutical applications, these products have wide-range of industrial uses in areas such as beverages, candies, chewing gums, confectioneries, diary products etc.
|
- Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony
- Coffee Ceremony
Kaffa Area
Ethiopian Coffee Regions
BBC - Cafe Africa Pictures
- Coffee & Ethiopian Economy
- Ethiopia's #1 Export
Coffee providers, growers & exporters
Black Gold - The Movie
Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union
- Starbucks
- Starbucks & Ethiopia
Addis Ababa's Starbucks Imitation - NY Times
History of Coffee
|
