South West Ethiopia Coffee, Tea and Spices Authority stated that it has planned to deliver over 7,000 tons of tea product to central market this budget year.

Authority Director General Astra Mekuria told the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA) that some 7,026 tons of tea products has been incorporated in the plan to be supplied to central market. Of the planned amount, so far, some 3,100 has already been delivered to the central market.

As to him, a lot has been carried out on tea and other potential crops with which the local and international markets to make the state in particular and the country in general beneficiary out of such rewarding agricultural products.

"The state has well focused on tea product and Kaffa and Sheka Zones are known for their wide tea farms. East African and Ethio-Agriseft (Wushwush tea, more focus) are widely developing tea in Sheka and Kaffa zones respectively," Asrat added.

According to him, the farming community in these two zones have organized themselves and started supplying the organization with tea products.

He said: "The farmers organizing themselves in contractual bases and provided the organizations with products are 502 in number, and some 446 hectare plots of land have been covered with tea cultivation."

Since the farmers' access to market opportunities, which would potentially help promote the market horizon, is limited, they are expected to accept the offer organizations have given to them, he added.

He further said that though the state is endowed with a variety of tea species, Wushwush tea is widely produced for the time being.

He urged the state structure ranging from the kebele to zone to move in unison and run activities in a well organized manner to help the state be advantageous out of the Coffee, Tea and Spices resources.