Yemen officials seek to boost coffee production and export

By Faisal Darem in Yemen
For Al-Shorfa.com
2011-01-14



Yemeni officials are renewing efforts to promote the country's coffee trade, given its reputation for high quality and its potential as a revenue source for farmers and exporters.

"The ministry is exerting great efforts to support cultivation of Yemeni coffee through construction of water tanks for irrigation to address the drought in some areas of coffee cultivation or through the cultivation of seedlings, including re-cultivation with new trees capable of better production," Abdel Malik al-Thor, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, told Al-Shorfa.

Al-Thor added, "Yemeni coffee is known for its high quality, and the current low production is offset by high prices compared with coffee in other countries. The price of Yemeni coffee is between $12,000 and $14,000 per ton. Coffee in other countries ranges between $2,000 and $4,000 per ton."

Yemen produces 34,000 tons annually, and output can be increased this year because of additional efforts made by the ministry and farmers to increase production, he said.

According to the ministry of agriculture and the ministry of commerce, coffee is Yemen's primary export after oil. Yemeni coffee is exported to the Gulf States, Japan, the United States, Canada, Russia, France, Italy, Denmark, Germany, Turkey and India.

Al-Thor said, "“The government, as part of its efforts, had Yemen join the World Coffee Organisation based in London last September. It also entered into a partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to support coffee cultivation, improve the production process and assist farmers in marketing [their product], which helped to increase the employment rate and combat poverty. Nearly 500,000 people [in Yemen] work in the cultivation, production and marketing of coffee."

Experts and specialists say that that the cultivation of coffee is in need of urgent programmes and strategies for the advancement of crop cultivation, which faces many obstacles. They say that research, field studies, appropriate technologies and agricultural guidance are important factors in encouraging its cultivation and increasing production.

"Cultivation of coffee in Yemen declined in recent years to its lowest levels," Abad Ansi, head of the Yemeni Agricultural Engineers, told Al-Shorfa. "Yemen is ranked among the lowest countries in terms of coffee production and export, compared with the millions of tons produced by Brazil."

He said, "The $1 million that is being allocated to promote coffee cultivation in Yemen from a fund to promote agricultural production and fisheries, can bring about a renaissance in cultivation if those funds are used properly."
Ibrahim al-Kbous, head of the Yemeni Coffee Producers Association, said, "Water scarcity is one of the biggest obstacles faced by coffee growers. The lack of support for farmers caused them to turn to cultivation of competing crops such as qat."

Al-Kbous called on the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation to support cultivation of coffee, and to offer educational programmes about sound agricultural methods related to irrigation, weeding, trimming and harvesting beans. He stressed that the association has a programme, implemented with the Yemeni Specifications and Measures Authority, to create standards for Yemeni coffee.

Ali Mcard, an expert in coffee cultivation, said, "The ministry of agriculture is focusing on supporting coffee cultivation in specific areas such as funding irrigation networks, water barriers and caravans and supporting existing nurseries." He said support is necessary for all cultivation activities including growing the trees, harvesting the beans and marketing the product.

Coffee cultivation occurs in several governorates. The major cultivation areas are Bani Matar, Yafee, Haraz, Inner and Outer Haimateen, Buraa, Bani Hammad, and Amran. Among the most famous types of Yemeni coffee are Matari, Yafee, Haimateen, Harazi (or Ismaili), Ahjiri, Mahoiti, Borai, Hammadi, Rimi, Usabi, Anisi, Odaini, Sabri and Saadi.