ADDIS ABABA - The productivity and quality of Ethiopian coffee has seen a substantial improvement amid sustainable support from the government and experts, Coffee Producers said.

Coffee Producers told local media that the quality and production of coffee has been improving since the government and experts sustained their support at each level.

According to Coffee Producer Tatek Demisse, the support and monitoring mechanisms of the government and agricultural experts are greatly contributing to improve productivity, quality and export of the cash crop.

The country should exert more effort to improve coffee production and be competitive in the global market through utilizing its huge potential. In this regard, supporting smallholder farmers is crucial to improve coffee productivity and quality, he said.

"Now, I recognized that producing in small land with high quality has great importance than owning or having large farms that don't meet quality production. This increases profitability as it gives an opportunity to manage and keep quality production."

The recent implementation of macroeconomic reform is contributing to address major bottlenecks that prevent the country from fully benefiting from its rich coffee resources, Tatek added.

Coffee Producer Tilahun Cheweka believed that exporting quality coffee to the global market requires the sustainable support of the government.

Although domestic consumption has been growing in Ethiopia, export is also improving in line with the ever increasing production, he noticed.

According to him, the country's coffee production has been massively increasing as well as its quality improving having the above mentioned technical and capacity building support from government and experts.

The country has planned to secure about two billion USD during this Ethiopian fiscal year.

BY TSEGAYE TILAHUN

THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 20 NOVEMBER 2024