Ethiopia: Country to Supply Natural Low Caffeine Coffee

The Reporter (Addis Ababa)

Posted to the web 18 August 2007

Ethiopia plans to start commercial production of a coffee variety with naturally low caffeine that was found growing in the wild, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said.

Decaffeinated coffee accounts for ten percent of total coffee sales in the world, a multibillion-dollar industry. Natural decaf brews could dominate over the current chemically caffeine-reduced options in today's health-conscious market.

"Coffee research centers are in the process of planting seedlings of natural coffee with low caffeine varieties, to enable Ethiopia to supply the world market within the shortest possible time," said Abera Deressa, State Minister of state for Agriculture and Rural Development.

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