KAMPALA, November 7, 2024 – Exports of all forms of coffee from Africa rose by 14.3 percent in September 2024, totaling 1.37 million bags, compared to 1.2mln bags in the same month the previous year, according to the latest report from the International Coffee Organisation [ ICO ].
For the 2023/24 coffee year, exports from the region increased by 17.3 percent, reaching 16.02mln bags, up from 13.66mln bags in the 2022/23 coffee year, the report reveals.
Ethiopia, Africa’s largest coffee producer and exporter, played a pivotal role in driving this growth. Exports from the country surged by 63.5 percent, reaching 5.59mln bags in the 2023/24 coffee year, compared to 3.42mln bags in the previous year. This marks Ethiopia’s highest export volume on record and the first time its exports have surpassed the 5mln-bag threshold.
The report attributes Ethiopia’s strong performance to the resolution of internal contract disputes, which had delayed exports in the 2022/23 coffee year. However, the report stresses that the 2023/24 surge should be seen in context, noting that Ethiopia’s exports had declined by 15 percent in the previous year, reaching their lowest point in nearly a decade. The 5.59mln bags exported in 2023/24 thus reflect a significant recovery.
Global coffee exports
The ICO report also highlights global coffee export trends. In September 2024, global green bean exports totaled 9.69mln bags, marking a 25.2 percent increase from 7.74mln bags in September 2023. For the 2023/24 coffee year, global green bean exports rose by 11.8 percent to 123.75mln bags, compared to 110.72mln bags in the 2022/23 coffee year. This increase of 13.02mln bags is the largest annual rise on record, surpassing the previous high of 9.27mln bags in the 1995/96 coffee year.
However, the report clarifies that this surge largely reflects a recovery from two consecutive years of downturn, rather than sustained growth. Global coffee exports fell from 118.66mln bags in 2020/21 to 110.72mln bags in 2022/23, making the 2023/24 rebound a reflection of recovery rather than expansion of the long-term trend.
The report also notes that over the past decade [2010/11 to 2020/21], global green bean exports grew by an average of 2.36mln bags annually, while the annual increase between 2020/21 and 2023/24 was only 1.69mln bags. Despite the recovery, the current export level is still below the potential level of 125.73mln bags, the report adds.
Soluble coffee exports
In September 2024, exports of soluble coffee saw a notable increase of 24.3 percent, rising to 1.02mln bags from 0.82mln bags in September 2023. For the 2023/24 coffee year, exports of soluble coffee were up 11.6 percent, reaching 12.82mln bags, compared to 11.48mln bags in the previous year.
Soluble coffee accounted for 9.3 percent of total coffee exports for the year, consistent with its share during the same period in 2023. Brazil remains the largest exporter of soluble coffee, shipping 0.37mln bags in September 2024 and 3.89mln bags during the entire 2023/24 coffee year.
Meanwhile, exports of roasted coffee beans fell by 9.2 percent in September 2024, totaling 54,544 bags, down from 60,040 bags in the previous year. For the 2023/24 coffee year, roasted coffee exports declined slightly by 0.5 percent, totaling 0.71mln bags, compared to 0.713mln bags in 2022/23.
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