ADDIS ABABA, July 16 (Xinhua) -- China has become the third-largest buyer of Ethiopian coffee during the 2025/26 fiscal year that ended on July 7, according to Shafi Umer, deputy director general of the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA).
"China has overtaken the United States and become the third-largest importer of Ethiopian coffee during the fiscal year, up from fifth position last fiscal year," Umer told Xinhua in a recent interview, noting that Saudi Arabia and Germany are the first and second top destinations of Ethiopian coffee export during the period.
According to data obtained from the ECTA, Ethiopia exported 47,836 tonnes of coffee to China during the fiscal year and earned 347 million U.S. dollars, up from 34,284 tonnes of coffee exported to the Asian country with a revenue of 219 million dollars during the previous Ethiopian fiscal year.
"China remains among the new market destinations for Ethiopian coffee, but we are witnessing increasing shipments of coffee to China and we hope that the country would be the largest buyer of Ethiopian coffee in the coming two years," said Umer.
He attributed the increase in coffee exports to China to shipments of organic coffee, improved delivery services, as well as growing trade and diplomatic relations between the two countries.
"We are trying to tap into the big market opportunity for Ethiopian coffee in China through rigorous promotion and exporting organic coffee to meet the growing demand of Chinese consumers, especially among the youth," he said.
The deputy director general disclosed that China joined the top-10 Ethiopian coffee buyers two years ago, taking the seventh position after importing 12,163 tonnes of coffee.
Ethiopia earned a record 3 billion dollars from coffee exports during the just-concluded 2025/26 Ethiopian fiscal year, with the top-10 buyers contributing to over 79 percent of the revenue.
According to the ECTA, Ethiopia's annual coffee production has grown from 500,000 tonnes five years ago to 1.5 million tonnes this year, while the country's coffee-producing capacity per hectare has also risen from 600 kg to 1,000 kg during the period. ■
