How coffee is grown in Ethiopia
Ethiopia's place in the global coffee industry
Ethiopia is the largest producer of Arabica in Africa and one of the world's leading countries in terms of its production. Annually the country produces about 350 thousand tons of coffee. The coffee industry — from cultivation to trade — employs almost 20% of the population.
The principal feature of Ethiopia is the high level of domestic coffee consumption. More than half of all Ethiopian beans remain inside the country. As a result, the export market receives only a part of the total harvest, which directly affects the availability and prices of green coffee.
Locals drink coffee daily, often several times a day, and in most cases roast the beans on their own
For the country's economy, coffee remains one of the key sources of income and the object of constant attention from the state.
Natural conditions and terroir
Ethiopia is the highest mountainous country in Africa. Most of its territory is located in the Ethiopian Highlands at altitudes from 1500 to 2000 m above sea level. In some regions, heights exceed 2000 m.
The country is characterized by significant daily temperature fluctuations — the difference can reach 15 ° C. In such conditions, the berries ripen slowly, a full-bodied bean is formed with a complex taste and pronounced acidity.
The climate and landscape of Ethiopia vary greatly from region to region, from the humid tropical forests in Kaffa to the arid areas of Harrar. This diversity directly affects the style of coffee and makes the country one of the most heterogeneous in the world in terms of taste profiles.
Growing regions
The main coffee-producing regions of Ethiopia are concentrated in two administrative zones: Oromia and the Region of Southern Nationalities (SNNPR).
There are zones in the Oromia region:
Harrar,
Lekempti,
Limu/Jimma,
Guji,
the eastern part of Yirgacheffe.
In the Region of Southern Nationalities:
Kaffa,
Sidamo,
the western part of Yirgacheffe.
Each zone is divided into woredas, and then into kebele — small territorial units comprising one or more villages. It is at the woreda and kebele level that differences in terroir and cultivation practices are formed, but in the export market, different batches are usually combined into one lot.
The Yirgacheffe, Guji and Sidamo regions are the most popular today: they consistently give out high taste potential. In Caffa and Lekempti, a significant part of coffee grows in forest and semi-forest systems, which affects the style and low yield.
Production structure
About 95% of coffee in Ethiopia is grown by small farmers. The size of the plots usually ranges from 10 to 20 acres. Coffee is grown on house territories, in gardens or in the forest, often in the shade of natural vegetation.
Large farms with an area of hundreds of hectares make up no more than 5% of the total number of farms. Typically, they have their own processing stations, warehouses and can export coffee on their own.
Small farmers do not have access to processing infrastructure. After harvesting, they sell the berries to the nearest processing station. At this stage, the coffee of different farmers is mixed, and traceability to a particular farm is typically lost.
Processing stations pay farmers by assigning a price based on the appearance of berries: the fewer unripe ones, the more the farmer receives a reward
Genetics and varieties
Ethiopia is a unique country in terms of coffee genetics. Thousands of wild and semi-wild Arabica varieties grow here, many of which have not yet been classified. It was in Ethiopia that such varieties of coffee as geisha, rume Sudan and wush-wush were found.
Historically, varieties grown by farmers were formed by selecting seeds from forests and exchanging them between regions. This has led to a huge variety of local varieties.
In the export market, varieties of Ethiopian coffee are often designated generically, since different genotypes can be combined within one lot
Since the 1960s, the JARC Research Institute has been operating in the country, which is engaged in coffee breeding. During his work, he has developed dozens of improved varieties that are resistant to diseases and adapted to specific regions. Today, most farms grow a blend of local regional varieties and JARC selections.
Cultivation practices
Almost all coffee in Ethiopia is grown in a shady way — in forests or under specially planted trees. Such a system reduces yields, but protects the soil from depletion and allows you to do without the active use of fertilizers.
The use of agrochemicals is minimal, more often for economic reasons — farmers do not have money for fertilizers. As a result, the yield remains low, but the taste potential of coffee is high.
The coffee harvest in Ethiopia is harvested from November to February. The timing may vary depending on the region and altitude. Harvesting is carried out manually, most often by the farmers themselves and their families.
After that, the berries should be delivered to the processing station as soon as possible. Delays directly affect the quality, especially with washed processing.
Coffee processing
There are two main processing methods in Ethiopia: washed and natural. In both cases, African beds are used. Due to the limited space of the station, coffee is often first processed in a washed way, and then in a natural way, as the drying areas are freed up.
Washed coffee is dried on average for about two weeks, natural — up to a month
The decision on the ratio of treatments of the station is made based on the demand of previous seasons and agreements with customers. Experimental and funky treatments have been developing in recent years, but still occupy a niche share.
Classification and quality control
Ethiopia uses its own coffee classification system based on the number of defects and the density of the bean. Coffee is divided into eight grades, while grade is not a direct indicator of taste. Export trade is primarily focused on coffee of the first five grades.
Historically, grades 1 and 2 were associated with washed coffee, and higher numbers with natural processing, but today this division is not rigid. High-quality natural microlots can also fall into the first grades.
Grades below the fifth rarely participate in export trade and usually remain on the domestic market
In Ethiopia, beans are not sorted by size. The main emphasis is on the defect, and after halling the coffee is additionally polished to remove the husk residues. Control of coffee compliance with the declared grade is carried out by the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX).
Economy and exports
Ethiopia has no access to the sea. All coffee exports are carried out through the port of Djibouti. During the peak periods of the season, the port is overloaded, and coffee containers can wait several months for shipment.
Coffee exports are strictly regulated by the state. The key role is played by the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange ECX, which checks the compliance of coffee with the declared grade and price level.
The price of Ethiopian coffee is formed within the country and is not directly linked to the New York Coffee Exchange
Foreign companies are not allowed to own a coffee business in Ethiopia. All processing stations, dry mills and exporters are owned by local citizens. This complicates access to the market, but at the same time protects the domestic economy.
Challenges and changes
The main challenges for the Ethiopian coffee industry are rising berry prices, high competition between processing stations, logistics and the economy's dependence on foreign exchange earnings.
The growth in the number of exporters and stations has increased competition for raw materials, which in recent years has led to a sharp rise in the price of coffee. At the same time, the high level of domestic consumption and limited export volumes make the market sensitive to any changes in demand.
The main thing
Ethiopia is the most difficult country in the global coffee industry. There is no simple farm—lot—export logic here. Instead, there is a system in which traditions, government regulation, unique genetics and market mechanisms are intertwined.
For the green coffee market, Ethiopia remains a source of maximum variety of flavors and one of the key quality benchmarks. But working with this country requires a deep understanding of the context, processes and limitations.