The Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority has announced a significant boost in foreign currency earnings, stating that the country generated $546 million from the export of over 80,000 tons of coffee in the last two months alone.

Dr. Adugna Debela, the Director General of the Authority, highlighted the sector's performance by noting that the country earned $2.26 billion from exporting 470,000 tons of coffee during the 2017 fiscal year.

Looking ahead, the Authority is aiming even higher: it is currently working to export 600,000 tonsof coffee and secure an ambitious revenue target of $3 billionin the 2018 fiscal year.

A key factor driving the revenue increase is a new operational system designed to benefit farmers directly. The Director General noted this system allows farmers to export their produce directly to various international markets.

Furthermore, efforts are underway to ensure top quality reaches the global market. The quality inspection process, which was previously limited to Addis Ababa, is now being decentralized and brought closer to the farmers. This involves expanding coffee tasting centers at the farm level to uphold quality standards, ultimately leading to better-priced coffee exports and increased revenue.