Wed 4 Jun 2008
Tsegaye Tadesse
ADDIS ABABA - Ethiopia exported over 133,000 tonnes of coffee during the first 10 months of 2007/08, earning $403 million, a top trade ministry official has said.
Gizachew Wubale of the Export Promotion Department told Reuters in an interview that although export volumes were lower than during the same period last year, income was higher.
“Ethiopia exported 133,424 tonnes of coffee and earned $403 million during the first 10 months of 2007/08, compared with $322 million it generated by exporting 135,451 tonnes during the same period in 2006/07,” he said.
He attributed the higher income to better global prices.
Ethiopia exported a total 176,390 tonnes of coffee during 2006/07 (July-June) for $424 million, less than the $488 million it had anticipated.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry forecasts it will export 177,000 tonnes for over $500 million this year.
Ethiopia is Africa’s largest coffee producer with an estimated 330,000 tonnes annual production. Nearly half of that is consumed locally.
