Introduction to Ethiopian Coffee

Ethiopia is one of the major producers of arabica coffee in Africa and produces the best arabica coffee in the world. It is said that coffee was first discovered by shepherds in Ethiopia, and the name of coffee evolved from Kafa, so Ethiopia is still the hometown of coffee.

Coffee production and processing

Ethiopia's geographical environment is very suitable for coffee growth. Coffee is mainly grown in the southern highlands between 1100 and 2300 meters above sea level. The main coffee producing areas are Harar, Limu, Djimma, Sidamo, Kaffa, Yergacheffe and Wellega. The soil in these areas is well drained, slightly acidic, and red and loose.

Ethiopian coffee is harvested once a year. 3-4 Beautiful white coffee blossoms bloom during the month, and then the fruit begins to grow. 9-12 The moon-red coffee fruit ripens and waits to be picked. 11-12 A new season of coffee begins to be exported.

Currently, about 25 percent of Ethiopia's population depends directly or indirectly on coffee production for their livelihood. Farmers using traditional farming methods predominate. Artificial care of coffee trees, use organic fertilizer, do not use harmful pesticides and herbicides. Most of the coffee produced in Ethiopia is organic.

Coffee can be divided into three types: forest or semi-forest coffee, garden coffee and plantation coffee.

60% of coffee is forest-semiforest coffee. In such wild coffee forests, pesticides are not used at all, but biological methods are used to control pests.

35% of coffee is courtyard coffee. In this coffee garden, the planting is three-dimensional distribution. Coffee sits in the lower layers, in the shade of other crops, to get the right environment to grow. Fertilizer is mainly deciduous, withered grass and animal manure.

5% of coffee is plantation coffee. This is a modern way of growing coffee. Coffee is grown as a forest, but new varieties are used and spaced apart from other shade trees.

Due to different processing methods, coffee can be divided into washed coffee and sun-dried coffee.

Washed coffee accounts for 35 per cent of exports. Good quality washed coffee is processed from freshly picked fully ripe fruit, carefully picked and closely monitored by professionals. After picking clean coffee beans on the day of picking to pulp, then fermentation, washing, drying, peeling. The humidity of the processed coffee beans is kept at about 12%.

Sun-cured coffee accounts for 65 per cent of exports. Mainly picked at home, red beans are dried on concrete floors or high tables to about 11.5% humidity, then peeled and washed.

Coffee classification and quality control system

In Ethiopia, coffee classification and quality control systems are divided into producer, regional and national levels. All coffees are inspected by local inspection agencies before they leave the country of origin, and then re-inspected at coffee inspection and grading centres in Addis and Diredova to determine their quality grade. Grading coffee before auction and sale is important for all groups involved in production, acquisition, export and consumption. Before export, coffee must also be sent to a national quality control agency for inspection to confirm that origin, color, etc. meet export standards to ensure the reputation of Ethiopian coffee.

At present, Ethiopia's coffee grading and quality control system mainly has two indicators: visual inspection and cup evaluation. The inspection items include color, cleanliness, origin, taste and characteristics of coffee beans. Export classification is indicated by simple numbers, with the best washed coffee being grade 5 and the best sun-cured coffee being grade 4. After classification, the origin can be exported. Usually exports are paid by letter of credit, which can reduce the risk of collection by exporters and give quality assurance to importers.

By law, all coffee must be sold through auctions held in Addis Ababa and Diredava. During the coffee harvest season, such auctions are even held twice a day.