Production, productivity, quality and chemical composition of Ethiopian coffee

Abstract

Ethiopia is the fifth-largest coffee producer in the world. The country has made continuous efforts to enhance the production, productivity and quality of its coffee. Yet, comprehensive data on these issues are scant. This paper aims to document available information on the economic importance, production, productivity, quality and chemical contents of Ethiopian coffee, and to identify developmental and/or research gaps on its productivity and quality. Coffee now accounts for ca. 25–30% of the country’s total foreign currency earnings and the amount of foreign currency earnings from coffee increases over the years with a varying rate. Production and cultivation areas of Ethiopian coffee also increase over the past 60 years, but the changes in its productivity and quality are minor. Also, the share of the top grade (Grade 1 and 2) coffees in Ethiopia has remained lower over time, and the quality and chemical composition of Ethiopian coffee vary with growing region and locality. Compared to others, coffees from Eastern (Harar) and Southern regions are better in overall quality, and coffee from Northwestern region is higher in chlorogenic acid and sucrose contents, whereas those from Harar and Southwestern regions are lower in caffeine and chlorogenic acid contents, respectively. However, Harar coffee is higher in fatty acid content than other region coffees. Overall, the paper shows (1) the economic importance, production, productivity, quality and chemical contents, (2) information gaps on productivity, and quality and chemical profiles, and (3) the existence of a large room for productivity and quality improvements of Ethiopian coffee.

Keywords:

• Economic importance
• cultivation area
• quality precursors
• caffeine
• chlorogenic acids
• fatty acids
• mineral contents
• Ethiopia

PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT

Ethiopia has suitable environments for coffee production and it produces different coffee types in different coffee growing regions. Coffee in Ethiopia is the most important source of foreign currency earnings for the country and cash incomes for the coffee producing farmers. It is often said that the Ethiopian coffee is low in production, productivity and quality, and varied in quality with growing region/area. However, well-organized data on these issues are not available. Hence, evaluating available information on production, productivity, quality and chemical composition of coffee in Ethiopia is important to identify suitable interventions for quality coffee production in the country. This enhances the foreign currency earnings and livelihoods of small-holder coffee farmers in the country. The paper shows the trends in production, productivity and quality of coffee over time, differences between coffee origins in quality and quality precursors, and developmental and research gaps for quality coffee production in Ethiopia.

Acknowledgments

I acknowledge Prof. Tessema Astatkie for his support in editing the draft manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Availability of data and materials

The author would like to confirm that there are no raw data to be available.

Additional information

Funding

The author did not receive funding for this work.

Notes on contributors

Mohammed Worku

Mohammed Worku (PhD) is an associate professor of Agronomy at Jimma University, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Jimma, Ethiopia. His key research activities and interests include determinants of productivity, quality and chemical composition of coffee; identification of geographical origin of agro-products; crop ecology and cropping systems and agro-ecosystem services; and stress physiology of crops.