Ethiopia: Africa's Largest Coffee Producer and Introduction to Guji Coffee Region Characteristics

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FrontStreet Coffee - Ethiopian Coffee Production and Guji Region Introduction

Most of the coffee we drink today is made from Arabica coffee beans. Ethiopia is not only an important producing region for Arabica coffee beans but also Africa's largest producer of Arabica coffee beans. Locally, 15 million people rely on this industry as their livelihood, making it an important economic pillar.

However, climate change, including rising temperatures and reduced rainfall, is gradually affecting the coffee bean industry. According to NPR reports, in some regions of Ethiopia, spring and summer rainfall has already decreased by 15% to 20% compared to the 1970s. In Gore, in the southwestern region, rainfall has decreased by 40 inches compared to the 1950s. The proportion of droughts is increasing, affecting coffee bean harvests.

According to the journal "Natural Plants," affected by climate change, Ethiopia may lose 39% to 59% of its coffee bean harvest. Aaron Davis, a scientist at the Royal Botanic Gardens in London, said: "Ethiopian coffee farmers are at the forefront of climate change impacts." He mentioned that many farmers have already told him about reduced harvest yields.

Ethiopia is Africa's largest coffee-producing country, and this nation is currently implementing production and marketing reforms in the coffee industry, planning to triple production within the next 5 years. As the productivity of old coffee trees declines within Ethiopia, the country is cutting down existing trees and replacing ancient trees with new ones, allowing new branches to sprout. The Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority indicates this could help increase production to 1.2 to 1.8 million tons by 2024, up from the recent annual production of 600,000 tons.

According to authorities, old coffee trees account for about 60% of approximately 1 million hectares of land, while another 1.5 million hectares of coffee trees are newly planted and not yet producing. The country's new factories, where small farmers account for almost all production, will need approximately three to four years to begin production.

According to Adugna Debela Bote, Director General of the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority, marketing reforms are helping producers skip several steps in the supply chain. This will help increase farmers' incomes, who currently receive about 60% of the coffee price. "Under the new reforms, farmers can export directly. We are raising awareness, and this will be realized in this year's production."

Ethiopian Sidama

Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee, and Sidama is an important coffee-exporting province. Due to its topography, soil composition, and regional microclimates, coffee beans grown in each town area within the province have subtle differences in flavor. Washed Sidama is a typical specialty coffee, deeply loved by Taiwanese people and comparable to Yirgacheffe. It offers a clean taste with lime-like acidity and sweetness, providing excellent balance.

Guji is located in the border area of the Sidamo region and was previously just one of the micro-producing regions within Sidamo province.

With its superior geographical location and cup flavor, Guji has been independently separated as a new producing region in Ethiopia's unique ECX trading system! In 2010, Guji officially became an independent producing region. Currently, it is administratively under the Oromia Region → Guji Zone, now at the same level as Yirgacheffe! However, most buyers still consider it within Sidamo province, so it is often referred to as Sidamo Guji.

The rise of Guji can be attributed to its natural advantages. Surrounded by mountains and covered with native coffee trees, after countless generations of natural evolution, the coffee trees vary in form but are all lush and verdant. Guji region has many original forests and large areas of undeveloped land. Even in newly developed agricultural land within estates, considerable original forests have been preserved, maintaining natural balance with the environment.

The high altitude of the Guji region surpasses Yirgacheffe! The elevation reaches 2250 to 2350 meters, and even on some mountain roads, it reaches nearly 3000 meters! This unique geographical location and ideal microclimate environment allow Guji to cultivate coffee flavors different from other regions, making the grown coffee truly exceptional.

Knowledge Extension

The place where Arabica coffee tree species were first discovered in the world. Coffee is grown almost everywhere throughout Ethiopia, with thousands or even tens of thousands of coffee varieties.

In Summary

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