Germany earned $5.9 billion from coffee exports in 2023, while Africa as a whole earned only $3.6 billion from coffee exports in 2022.
Germany doesn’t grow coffee. Ethiopia and Uganda are among the world’s top ten largest producers of coffee.
It’s striking that Germany, a country that doesn’t grow coffee, earned $5.9 billion from coffee exports in 2023—significantly more than Africa, which only earned $3.6 billion from coffee exports in 2022.
This shows how Africa, despite being home to top producers like Ethiopia and Uganda, captures less value from its own resources.
But he’s right; Germany’s profits primarily stem from the processing, branding, and exportation of finished coffee products, whereas African countries mainly export raw beans.
So, now you see the need for African coffee-producing nations to invest in processing, branding, and distribution to capture more value and maximize earnings from their own agricultural products.
As climate change threatens the future of Ethiopia’s coffee, Adetola Adetayo reports on a rich heritage facing extinction.
With Ethiopia as the birthplace of Arabica coffee, producing 17% of the world’s supply, the stakes are incredibly high.
Coffee farming not only supports local economies but also sustains cultural traditions, particularly the cherished coffee ceremony.
However, climate change and deforestation could reduce coffee-growing areas by up to 59% by the century’s end, endangering livelihoods and global coffee quality. It’s crucial for coffee lovers and consumers to support sustainable practices.
