Ethiopia and China Elevate Agricultural Cooperation with Focus on Coffee

Addis Ababa, January 8, 2026 (ENA)—Ethiopia and China have agreed to elevate their strategic partnership in the agricultural sector, with a particular emphasis on coffee, senior government officials announced.

China has rapidly emerged as one of Ethiopia’s leading coffee destinations, rising from 33rd to 4th place over the past five years.

This surge was highlighted during a recent trade and economic cooperation forum held in Zhuzhou, China, aimed at promoting Ethiopian coffee in the Chinese and global markets.

A high-level Ethiopian delegation participated in the strategic conference and a major trade promotion event in China’s Hunan Province currently, which attracted more than 700,000 participants.

The forum provided a significant platform to showcase Ethiopia’s diverse and distinctive coffee flavors to international buyers and consumers.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, officials who particularly participated in the forum, said Ethio–China agricultural cooperation has evolved beyond conventional trade into a strategic partnership.

Key drivers include China’s growing coffee consumption, zero-tariff trade opportunities for African exports, technology and knowledge transfer, expanding e-commerce platforms, and Hunan Province’s role as a major trade and logistics hub.

State Minister of Agriculture, Ifa Muleta, said Ethiopia is implementing wide-ranging agricultural reforms to enhance global competitiveness.

He noted that the government is prioritizing modern technologies, innovation, and improved agricultural inputs to increase both the quality and volume of export products.

The state minister added that the Zhuzhou conference is part of broader efforts to boost Ethiopia’s export earnings.

Beyond coffee, Ethiopia is working to expand exports of livestock products, fish, and other agricultural commodities to China and international markets, further strengthening bilateral trade ties and creating new opportunities for exporters.

On his part Adugna Debela, Director-General of the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority, said Ethiopia’s focus on productivity and quality has significantly transformed the coffee export sector.

He noted that Ethiopian coffee is increasingly preferred in global markets, with China emerging as a key destination.

According to Adugna, China’s rise from the 33rd to the 4th largest destination for Ethiopian coffee within five years is driven by growing coffee consumption among Chinese consumers and zero-tariff access granted by the Chinese government to African countries.

He added that Ethiopia’s specialty, flavorful coffee is gaining strong popularity in the Chinese market.

Adugna further revealed that coffee trade relations between the two countries are expanding rapidly, noting that numerous purchasing companies participated in the Zhuzhou forum, where several new market-linkage agreements were signed.

State Minister of Government Communication Services, Tesfahun Gobezay, said the conference provided a major platform to promote Ethiopian coffee, emphasizing that China’s vast population and expanding coffee culture make it a reliable and high-potential market.

He also highlighted that Ethiopia’s traditional coffee ceremony was showcased at the event, reinforcing coffee’s role as a tool for national branding.

“A new chapter has opened in expanding coffee trade cooperation between Ethiopia and China,” he said.