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Going
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The Birth of
Coffee |
As the production of coffee in other countries slowly started to increase, Ethiopian producers started to feel the competition. The Dutch controlled the American and Asian markets, and the French Company of the Indies began to import coffee directly from Yemen and started growing it in the Bourbon Islands. Other African countries like Angola, Kenya and Madagascar also started to grow coffee and by the early 1960s, the production of Robusta in Africa was almost four times that of Arabica, which was the coffee type indigenous to Ethiopia. Coffee Consumption in Ethiopia In other parts, coffee was eaten with other grains. In fact, only fifty years ago, it was discovered that in some societies, coffee cherries are mixed with butter, pepper and other spices and are offered as a snack to honored guests. Other parts of Ethiopia traded coffee for its food value. This type of consumption required that the berries be fresh, so the traders could not travel far, thus encouraging the richer people to plant their own coffee trees in their regions. There are two ways Ethiopians prepare coffee for drinking. The first method, which is still used in some places, creates what is known as white coffee and results when the beans are boiled to produce a greenish liquid. The second method of preparing coffee is obviously the most common one, and starts with roasting the coffee, grinding it, then brewing it with water. Coffee drinking in Ethiopia has always been ceremonious and brings everyone in the house together to talk. The whole process could take up to an hour or even more if neighbors and friends come over to talk and have coffee also! Coffee Quality Coffee quality differs to everyone depending on their upbringing as well as their society. An Ethiopian believes quality coffee should have a good aroma, and after being brewed in the traditional clay pot, is drank steaming hot and unsweetened, although some prefer sugar or even a dash of salt. A Greek or Turk would enjoy a well roasted, coarse coffee that is brewed in an oriental pot and is served thick, to the point of leaving a black residue at the bottom of the cup! Americans like Arabica coffee that is of a medium roast, well ground and thinly brewed. The French like a mix of Arabica and Robusta, a darker roast and served with milk, which is known as cafe-au-lait. The Italians like espresso, which is a thick and bitter coffee that is drunk in a small cup. Saudi Arabian sheiks like the most expensive of coffees, known as Bun Harrari or Khawa Harrari, and comes from the Eastern Highlands of Ethiopia. They like it lightly roasted and brewed in an elaborate brass coffeepot with cardamom and ends up being a greenish shade with a spicy taste. Coffee Production
Coffee (coffea) is the major category of the Rubiaceae family, which has over 6,000 species. Of the many species that are found in the coffea family, only 2 are presently regarded with importance - Coffea arabica and Coffea robusta. About 70 countries worldwide produce coffee and to these countries, not only is coffee a major means of foreign exchange, but is also responsible for tax income and gross domestic product (GDP).
Ethiopia is Africa's third largest coffee producer after Uganda and Ivory Coast. Coffee export is the main source of foreign exchange. Also, a large segment of the population is involved in the coffee industry. Due to the importance placed on the coffee industry, it has the advantage of receiving government support for research, infrastructure improvement, financial and manpower contributions, quality control systems and publicity. The creation of the Coffee and Tea Authority proves this fact and one of its objectives is to support the production and trade of coffee as well as research efforts. There are a few research centers such as the Jima National Coffee Center (JNCRC) which was created in 1967. This establishment focuses on improving the quality of coffee, disease resistance, nutrition improvement and the general improvement of the coffee industry. An estimated 200,000 ñ 250,000 tons of coffee is produced in Ethiopia every year, with fluctuations due to the climate, prices and the seasonal nature of coffee plants. An unknown amount of coffee is bought and sold illegally, of which some goes to neighboring countries. The majority of coffee produced in Ethiopia is exported from the capital city of Addis Ababa. There are a number of ways in which coffee is produced in Ethiopia: Traditional coffee, which is utilized by small growers and yields about 400 ñ 500 kilograms per hectare. Garden coffee is grown at farms, for the most part inter-cropped with other crops, fruits or vegetables. Large scale modern plantations, which can produce outputs of 1 to 1.5 tons per hectare. There are currently about 25,000 hectares of coffee plantations owned by the government. Presently, small farms produce 90 percent of Ethiopia's coffee, and government owned farms produce the remaining 10 percent. The new government has now stated that the private sector can invest in the coffee industry. This should encourage new investors to establish larger scale plantations with more advanced technology, thus improving the production and quality of coffee. |
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