By Emmanuel Nduka
Ethiopia has generated $878.5 million from coffee exports in the first three months of its 2026/2027 fiscal year, representing a 15 per cent increase compared with earnings recorded during the corresponding period last year.
The impressive performance highlights the growing international demand for Ethiopian coffee, with China emerging as the country’s third-largest export destination and contributing more than $103 million in revenue.
According to the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA), the country exported approximately 131,069 tonnes of coffee between July and September 2026, generating total revenue of $878.52 million.
The earnings represent an increase of $115.77 million over the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year, while export volumes rose by more than 17,500 tonnes.
Saudi Arabia retained its position as Ethiopia’s largest coffee export market, purchasing 28,362 tonnes valued at $196.85 million, representing approximately 22 per cent of the country’s total export volume.
Germany ranked second, importing 22,924 tonnes worth $136.69 million, while China secured the third position after purchasing 15,125 tonnes of Ethiopian coffee valued at $103 million.
China’s contribution accounted for approximately 12 per cent of Ethiopia’s total coffee export volume and earnings during the reporting period, underscoring its growing importance as a destination for African agricultural commodities.
Other major destinations included the United States, South Korea, Belgium, Japan and the United Arab Emirates. Italy ranked ninth, while Russia entered Ethiopia’s top 10 coffee export markets for the first time, occupying the tenth position.
The Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority disclosed that the country’s 10 leading export destinations collectively accounted for 82 per cent of total coffee export volumes and earnings.
Exports to these markets also recorded a 19 per cent increase in both volume and revenue compared with the same period last year.
Despite the growth in export earnings, Ethiopia’s performance remained below its initial projections for the three-month period. The country achieved 91 per cent of its targeted export volume of 144,433 tonnes and 85 per cent of its projected revenue target of $1.033 billion.
The authority attributed the improved performance to enhanced coffee quality, increased adoption of technology in the trading system and stronger coordination among stakeholders across the coffee value chain.
It also indicated that the government would intensify efforts to expand export volumes, improve earnings and strengthen access to additional international markets.
Widely recognised as the birthplace of Arabica coffee, Ethiopia is one of Africa’s foremost coffee-producing and exporting countries. Its coffee varieties enjoy international recognition for their distinctive flavour profiles, ranging from fruity and wine-like characteristics to chocolatey notes.
Beyond its significance as an agricultural commodity, coffee remains a major pillar of Ethiopia’s economy, providing livelihoods for millions of people involved in cultivation, processing, trading and export activities.
The latest export performance further reinforces the strategic importance of Ethiopia’s coffee industry to the country’s foreign exchange earnings and its broader ambition to strengthen its position in the global agricultural trade market.
