20th May 2026
Ethiopia has earned more than $8.7 billion in export revenue during the first 10 months of the current fiscal year, according to Kassahun Gofe, Minister of Trade and Regional Integration and chairman of the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange board.
Speaking at the graduation of 168 coffee sommeliers from the ECX Academy, Kassahun said Ethiopia’s export sector has recorded strong progress under the country’s economic reforms. He added that the government aims to increase export earnings to $10 billion by the end of the fiscal year.
The minister stressed the importance of meeting international quality and safety standards to improve the competitiveness of Ethiopian agricultural exports. He said skilled professionals trained by the ECX Academy would help strengthen quality assurance and support export growth.
Meanwhile, Mergia Bayissa said the academy is also sharing its expertise with other African countries. Since its establishment in 2023, the institution has trained more than 3,200 people in coffee quality evaluation, grain and oilseed inspection, and agricultural export facilitation.