Located in the southern reaches of Ethiopia, Sidama is widely known for its quality of coffee production – the region is prized with fertile soils, high altitudes, and an ideal climate for high-quality coffee.
Around 85 percent of Ethiopians still live rurally and make a living from agriculture, where they grow both cash crops and food for their own consumption. In Sidama, coffee is one of the main cash crops, covering anywhere from half a hectare to 1.5 hectares. This is usually planted alongside a second cash crop – often a large-leafed tree used in making roofs, also providing shade for the coffee, known as 'false banana'. The thick stem is used to produce both a nutritious flour and a fermented paste that are staple ingredients within the country.
The main harvest in Ethiopia is November and December, with 300 producers contributing cherries for this coffee. After the harvest, the cherries are transported to the Mirado Processing Station where it is de-pulped and washed before being dispersed on raised beds to dry in the open sun. The coffee remains here for 16 days until the ideal moisture content is reached, it is then hulled and prepared for export.
Ethiopia first started exporting coffee in the 15th century. It was brought by Somali merchants to Yemen for Sufi mystics, as they drank it to concentrate better on their chanting. Today, coffee export makes up around 70% of the county's export earnings, and it is estimated that a quarter of the Ethiopian population works within the coffee industry.
Almost all coffee is grown on small farms, or ''garden coffees'' that cover less than a hectare and producing around 300kg of coffee per year. This is also one of the only countries with wild grown coffee that is harvested from native forest trees. Even the famous Geisha varietal can be found growing wild here.
Ethiopia is famous for producing incredible sun dried naturally processed coffees. However, over half of all Ethiopian coffee is processed using this method. The coffee cherry is pulped to removed the fruit, fermented and then washed.
Your cart is currently empty.
