ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) - - Ethiopia is going to mark its second edition of International Coffee Day, whereby about 1,500 people, including senior government officials, diplomats, representatives of coffee producers, roasters, exporters, suppliers, international buyers as well as local and foreign experts among others, are expected to attend the opening session slated for Feb. 6 in Addis Ababa, capital of the East African country.
Ethiopia is known for its organic coffee and it is the epicenter of origin and diversification of Arabica Coffee.
The three-day event to be held at Millennium Hall from Feb. 6 to 8 under the motto, "Coffee from Land of Origins," will encompass conference, exhibition, and festival, featuring activities including among others coffee tasting, traditional coffee ceremonies and barista contest.
The Public Relations and Communication Director at the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority, Sahlemariam Gebremedhin, told Xinhua on Thursday that the event serves as a good platform to promote Ethiopia's organic coffee to the rest of the world.
The event also provides opportunity for experience and knowledge sharing as well as international best practices on the sector.
About 56 exhibitors as well as hundreds of coffee buyers and experts from different parts of the world, and hundreds more other local actors will be attending the event, said Sahlemariam.
During the event, the country will also launch its Ethiopian Coffee Brand Logo.
Ethiopian coffees are recognized worldwide for their level of quality and flavor, which ranges from winy to fruity and chocolaty, making the country's coffees excellent single varietals or delicious players in blends.
Although coffee is now grown in many countries around the world, Ethiopia remains one of the chief players in the global market, by exporting exceptionally flavorful gourmet coffees to the world.
Ethiopia is reported to be the largest coffee producer in Africa, with average annual exports of 200,000 tonnes over the last decade.
Approximately half of the country's coffee produce is consumed domestically.
Nearly 30 percent of the country's foreign income comes from coffee and some 15 million people depend on some aspect of coffee production for their livelihoods.
