Ethiopia's 2013/14 coffee crop seen 0.4% higher, but failed to generate proportionate increase in FOREX earnings – USDA Attache
Highlights from the USAID internal document: · During the current 2012/13 MY, Ethiopia exported large volumes of coffee as a result of huge stocks carried over from last year’s production. The large export volume, however, failed to generate a proportionate increase in foreign exchange earnings due to a substantial decline in international coffee prices. · The major reason for the increased volume of coffee exports in this marketing year is the removal of the new Ethiopian government directive launched in November 2011 requiring coffee traders to ship coffee in bulk containers rather than using the traditional 60 kg jute bags. · Khat ( Cata edulis ) is increasingly competing with coffee for farmlands particularly in the eastern part of the country in the Hararge region. · A...