Do you want to know about the African coffee industry in statistics and numbers? I got you covered.
Real coffee aficionados love African coffee. It’s a coffee paradise with outta-the-world flavors, one that cannot be found elsewhere.
Africa has very rich soils, the harvesting climate is fantastic and the farmers are well-skilled.
A combination of these (and other) factors explains the specialty grade that is African coffee.
Let me tell you more about this specialty grade African coffee industry in statistics and numbers.
By Lilian.
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5 Facts and Statistics About the African Coffee Industry
12% of the World’s Coffee Production Comes from Africa
Coffee production in Africa takes place in at least 10 countries. They are:- Burundi,
- Côte d’Ivoire (also known as Ivory Coast),
- The Democratic Republic of Congo,
- Ethiopia,
- Kenya,
- Rwanda,
- Malawi,
- Tanzania,
- Uganda,
- Zambia.
82% of Africa’s Coffee Comes from East Africa
82% of the coffee produced in Africa comes from the East African region.
This accounts for around 10% of the global coffee production.
Just to mention, East Africa is home to Ethiopia, Uganda, and Kenya, which are top on the list of African coffee-producing countries.
This region has a high altitude and volcanic soils.
Combine this with proximity to the Equator and you have the perfect coffee growing environment!
62% of the Coffee Produced in Africa Comes from Ethiopia and Uganda alone
It is no surprise that these two countries are among the top ten countries in the world that produce and export coffee.
Ethiopia currently features as No. 5 while Uganda is at No. 10.
In terms of volume, Ethiopia produced over 900 million pounds in 2022, while Uganda produced close to 600 million pounds.
Let me remind you that coffee was first discovered in Ethiopia.
Coffee Production in Ethiopia Involves 15 Million People
Most of them are farmers while others are involved in the distribution and sales of the coffee beans.
Interestingly, 60% of the input in the Ethiopian coffee value chain is from women.
In most areas, women harvest, wash, and sort the coffee beans.
They also roast and brew it.
Men are typically involved in loading and selling the coffee.
Only 30% of the Population in Africa Consumes Coffee
Africa is the second most populated continent, with over 1.2 billion people.
It also produces 12% of the world’s coffee.
Interestingly, only 30% of the African population consumes coffee.
In fact, the volume of coffee consumed in the North American continent exceeds that consumed in Africa, whose population is more than twice that of North America.
The reason behind this is that most African countries have a tea-drinking culture, with the exception of Ethiopia.
In Africa, even coffee farmers drink tea because it’s the cheaper option, but produce coffee for export.
Let us now shift focus to Africa’s coffee beans.
What makes African Coffee Beans So Unique?
African coffee beans have very unique flavors, mainly because the African climate and soil is ideal for growing and harvesting coffee.
For one, the beans are grown in volcanic soils that are rich in a variety of minerals.
Secondly, African coffee is grown in high altitudes, mountainous regions.
The direct effect is that the coffee beans take longer to mature, and as a result, they’re sweeter than those coffees grown at lower altitudes.
The proximity to the equator also contributes to the unique taste of African coffee beans.
For one, at the equator, the sunlight falls more directly on coffee plants.
Secondly, these regions enjoy continuous rainfall, so the coffee plants can flower continuously and mature at a relatively slow but steady speed.
The final result is the vivid floral, fruity with a winey flavor African coffee beans that tastes like berries!
Which are the Top African Coffee Regions?
East Africa is the top African coffee-production region in Africa.
According to the UN Statistics Division, this region has 20 countries.
8 of these are among the 10 African coffee producing countries identified earlier.
They are:
- Burundi,
- Ethiopia,
- Kenya,
- Malawi,
- Rwanda,
- Tanzania,
- Uganda,
- Zambia.
How Much Coffee Does Africa Produce?
In 2021, the African continent produced 18.7 million 132lb bags of coffee.
In terms of revenue, African countries exported coffee worth approximately US$2.5 Billion in 2021.
This was an increase from the US$2 Billion in 2020 and US$.99 Billion in 2019.
Which is Africa’s Leading Coffee-Production Country?
Ethiopia is not only Africa’s leading coffee-production country but also coffee’s birthplace.
It is here that coffee’s potential was discovered by a herder.
As of 2020, the country produced 7.3 million 132lbkg bags of coffee.
In 2021 alone, the figure rose to 7.6 million 132lb bags.
Don’t forget that Ethiopia is home to the Arabica coffee plant, the most widely consumed coffee in restaurants and cafes globally.
How Does Coffee Consumption in Africa Compare to Other Countries?
There are some very interesting observations here.
In the ranking of the top 50 countries that consume coffee, Algeria is the first African country, but it ranks at No. 27.
The second African country is Tunisia at No. 35.
Interesting, right?
Well, as earlier stated, most African countries have tea-drinking cultures.
Let’s Talk About South African Coffee Beans
Obviously, not many people know about South African Coffee.
It’s no surprise because the country has only about 200 hectares of coffee.
Despite this, South Africa produces Arabica and Robusta coffee beans – the two most popular coffee beans in the world.
Arabica coffee has a relatively lower caffeine concentration, tastes and smells sweeter but is more demanding and expensive to farm.
On the other hand, Robusta coffee has more caffeine, a less-appealing taste but is easier to farm.
Although South Africa doesn’t produce so much coffee, it has a robust coffee roasting industry.
The roasters are constantly trying new blends and brewing techniques to readjust and produce different flavors.
The coffee businesses here are passionate about crafting the best coffee brews that stand out in the global market.
What do you think about African coffees?
Photo by arifarca
