The handover was announced by the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA), the government body that regulates coffee exports and sets weekly minimum export prices. The platform, dubbed the Ethiopian Coffee Traceability and Management System (ECTMS), replaces paper-based processes that left the country exposed to losing access to its biggest foreign buyer, the European Union. "Traceability systems are becoming central to maintaining market access as regulatory standards evolve," said Adugna Debela, director-general of ECTA. The stakes extend well beyond the coffee sector. ODI modelling found that a full collapse of EU-bound coffee exports would cut Ethiopia's total export revenues by 18.4% and reduce GDP by 0.6%.

Source: Ethiopian News March 30, 2026 18:52 UTC