Ethiopia has earned over $878 million in revenue during the first quarter of the current Ethiopian fiscal year which began on July 8, 2026.
In a statement the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA) issued over the weekend, the total coffee export earnings saw a 15 percent year-on-year surge bolstered by a record more than $100 million revenue from exports to China.
Overall, Ethiopia shipped in excess of 131,069 tonnes of coffee to the international market during the first quarter, generating a record 878.5 million dollars, marking a 15 percent increase compared to the same period last fiscal year, according to ECTA.
Although performance showed solid growth, the authority noted that the achievement fell slightly short of the reporting period’s projected target.
The authority said that the country generated $103 million from the export of 15,125 tonnes of coffee to the Chinese market during the first three months of the current 2026/27 Ethiopian fiscal year, which began on July 8.
ECTA data revealed that the Chinese market accounted for roughly 12 percent of the East African country’s total coffee export earnings and volume during the reporting period.
As China increasingly becomes a key destination for Ethiopia’s coffee exports, the country currently ranks as the third-largest destination for Ethiopia’s coffee exports, next to Saudi Arabia and Germany, according to the authority.
Widely regarded as the birthplace of Arabica coffee, Ethiopia is one of Africa’s leading coffee producers and exporters. The country’s coffee is internationally renowned for its quality and diverse flavor profiles, ranging from wine-like and fruity to chocolatey.
The coffee sector remains a major pillar and backbone of the East African nation’s agriculture-based economy.
MG/as/APA