China has become the third-largest destination for Ethiopian coffee, overtaking the United States, according to recent data from the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA). During the last Ethiopian fiscal year, the country exported 47,836 tonnes of coffee to China, valued at approximately US$347 million.
This volume represents a significant increase from the 34,284 tonnes shipped to China in the previous fiscal year. While China's ranking has risen, Saudi Arabia and Germany remain the top two largest importers of Ethiopian coffee. The growth in exports coincides with a substantial expansion of Ethiopia's overall coffee production, which has reportedly tripled from 500,000 tonnes five years ago to 1.5 million tonnes this year. Farm yields have also increased from 600 to 1,000 kilograms per hectare in the same period, according to the authority.
The surge in trade is linked to recent policy changes, including China's removal of import tariffs on Ethiopian goods. Industry officials in Ethiopia have noted the growing demand for specialty and organic coffee among younger Chinese consumers as a key market driver. This development highlights a strategic shift in global coffee flows, with China emerging as an increasingly influential buyer for major producing origins.