Why is the coffee association pushing specialty processed exports?

At the 20th African Fine Coffee Conference in Addis Ababa, held February 6 to 10, the African Fine Coffees Association called on traders to increase exports of specialty-processed coffee and reduce the share of traditionally processed coffee sold internationally. More than 800 roasters, traders, producers and buyers attended the event.

AFCA Chairman Amir Hamza said Africa's main problem is outdated marketing and an oversized share of ordinary processed coffee in exports, leaving many growers without a fair price. Under Ethiopia's current green coffee bean export policy, specialty-processed beans carry an export pricing requirement twice that of traditional beans. The association also urged stronger brands, upgraded processing and attention to the EU Deforestation Regulation.

At the 20th African Fine Coffee Conference held in Addis Ababa, officials from the African Fine Coffees Association (AFCA) issued a clear call to traders: efforts should be focused on promoting exports of specialty-processed coffee and gradually reducing the share of traditionally processed coffee in the international market. AFCA pointed out that Africa possesses some of the world's finest coffee resources, yet weak marketing and a narrow range of processing methods have made it difficult for growers to earn reasonable returns. To change this situation, the association recommended that exporting countries strengthen brand building, upgrade processing technologies, and pay close attention to external factors such as the EU Deforestation Regulation. Africa's coffee industry stands at a crossroads of transformation, and how to break through amid climate change and market access challenges has become the focus of attention for all parties.

According to Xinhua News Agency, from February 6 to 10, the 20th African Fine Coffee Conference and Exhibition was held in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. The core objective of this event was to promote an increase in Africa's exports of specialty-processed coffee. More than 800 coffee roasters, traders, producers, and buyers from the region and around the world gathered to discuss topics including policy, sustainable development, and international coffee market dynamics.

Although African coffee continues to gain recognition among global consumers, officials from the African Fine Coffees Association (AFCA) still called on African coffee traders to increase exports of specialty-processed coffee while reducing the volume of traditionally processed coffee exported to international markets.

Under Ethiopia's current green coffee bean export policy, the export pricing requirement for specialty-processed coffee beans is twice that of traditional coffee beans.

AFCA Chairman Amir Hamza said in an interview with Xinhua News Agency that Africa's biggest dilemma lies in outdated marketing methods and the excessively high share of ordinary processed coffee in exports, which is precisely the direction AFCA is committed to addressing. He emphasized that Africa has the finest coffee but lacks a matching sales system, leaving most coffee growers unable to secure a reasonable price for their products. Coffee-exporting countries should shift their focus to specialty-processed coffee and use more effective marketing strategies to increase coffee export revenue.

He also encouraged African coffee exporting enterprises to strengthen trade promotion, expand markets, and focus on improving quality and processing standards to meet the demands of importing markets, while building brands for sustainable exports. Hamza explained that green coffee beans exported from Africa are often blended and roasted by companies outside the continent—especially those in Europe and the United States—and then sold in Middle Eastern and Far Eastern markets under the names of coffee products from other origins. He urged the African coffee industry to shift its focus to improving product quality and adapting to market taste trends, especially in major coffee-consuming markets such as the United States and the European Union, which account for half of total global coffee imports.

The AFCA Executive Director stated that African coffee growers lack the knowledge and technology needed to produce high-quality coffee. He called on African traders to cooperate, build production chains, adopt modern technology, and promote the transition from exporting green coffee to exporting processed coffee. Currently, Africa's coffee production and exports are affected by intensifying inflation, geopolitical situations, and rising fertilizer costs. Coffee exporting companies should closely monitor market changes and formulate appropriate business strategies. Finally, he called on coffee buyers and governments to support farmers' knowledge and skills in coffee agronomic practices and help them obtain appropriate product prices in international markets.

According to AFCA analysis, non-coffee-producing African countries such as Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Algeria, Morocco, Nigeria, and South Africa will become the most important destinations for the African coffee market. Regarding the upcoming EU Deforestation Regulation, the AFCA Chairman believes that since Africa imports more coffee than it exports, the regulation's impact on African coffee exports will be relatively limited. Looking ahead, African coffee-producing countries still face multiple challenges, including climate change, access to investment, low yields, and market access.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.