Ethiopia: Ministry Eyes At Boosting Ethiopian Share in Global Coffee Markets

Ethiopia: Ministry Eyes At Boosting Ethiopian Share in Global Coffee Markets
ENA
Addis Ababa

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said it is undertaking activities that would help the country obtain fair prices from its coffee export.

The ministry has set plans to collect 488 million USD from the export of 220,000 tons of coffee this Ethiopian budget year.

Ministry Agricultural Products Promotion Department Head, Assefa Mulugeta told ENA that the ministry in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, coffee exporters, and various state bureaus is undertaking capacity building and promotion activities.

Assefa said the ministry would provide trainings to 46 coffee exporters on coffee market management, international market information analysis and promotion systems as well as coffee quality investigation.

He said the ministry would provide coffee cupping trainings to 12 coffee processing investors and 61 experts working in coffee research centres located in coffee growing areas.

The head said the government has planned to provide assistance enabling coffee exporters to participate in trade fairs to be held in Japan, Switzerland, and U.S.A. in order to promote their products.

Strategies that would help take better share in the international coffee market would be prepared through Ethiopian embassies in U.S.A., German, Japan, Saudi Arabia, China, Italy, France, and Belgium, he added.

Assefa said 46,281 USD has been secured from 21, 000 tons of coffee exported during the months of July and August, 2006.