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Due to different processing methods, coffee can be divided into washed coffee (Washed coffee) and sun-cured coffee (Sun-dried coffee).

Washed coffee accounts for 35% of exports. Good quality washed coffee is processed with freshly picked fully ripe fruit, picked carefully and closely monitored by professionals. The picked clean coffee beans are pulped on the day of picking, then fermented, washed, dried and peeled. The humidity of processed coffee beans is kept at about 12%.

Sun-cured coffee accounts for 65% of exports. Mainly picked by families, red coffee beans are placed on cement floors or on high tables to dry to about 11.5% humidity, then peeled and cleaned.

Grading and quality control system of coffee

In Ethiopia, the grading and quality control system of coffee is divided into three levels: producer, regional and national. All coffee is inspected by local inspection agencies before leaving the country of origin, and then re-tested at the coffee inspection and grading centers in Addis and Diredawa to determine its quality grade. Coffee is graded before auction and sale and 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 the origin and color meet the 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, including the color, cleanliness, origin, taste and characteristics of coffee beans. The export rating is marked by simple numbers, with the best washed coffee at level 5 and the best sun-cured coffee at level 4. After grading, mark the place of origin and then export. Exports are usually paid by letter of credit, which can not only reduce the risk of foreign exchange collection for exporters, but also give quality assurance to importers.

According to the law, all coffee is sold through an auction held by Addis and DiRedawa. During the coffee harvest, such auctions are even held twice a day.

The export of coffee

Coffee is Ethiopia's most important export cash crop and the main source of Ethiopia's foreign exchange earnings. Ethiopia's coffee exports account for about 3% of the world market, making it the eighth largest coffee exporter in the world. Coffee exports increased steadily from 58000 tons in 1990 to 110000 tons in 1995-1996 and remained at this level in the following years. The export volume exceeded 110000 tons from 2001 to 2002 and reached 127000 tons from 2002 to 2003. As the price of coffee on the international market has been declining for a decade, Ethiopia's foreign exchange earnings have been seriously affected. Before the sharp drop in coffee prices, coffee exports accounted for more than half of Ethiopia's foreign exchange earnings, but now they account for only about 35 per cent. But according to the International Coffee Organization, coffee prices rebounded in 2002, rising from 41 cents per pound in September 2001 to 52 cents per pound in 2002 and 59.7 cents per pound in 2003. The average price in March 2004 was 60.8 cents per pound, an increase of 50% over September 2001. This is excellent news for Ethiopia # p# subtitle # e#