Coffee Leads Ethiopia’s Exports to Saudi Arabia

Coffee’s Role in Saudi Trade

Coffee accounts for around 80% of Ethiopia’s exports to Saudi Arabia, according to Saudi Ambassador Abdullah bin Hassan Al-Zahrani in an Ethiopian News Agency interview published on October 11, 2026. Discussing 2025 trade, he put Saudi imports from Ethiopia at approximately two billion Saudi riyals. That value covers total imports from Ethiopia, rather than coffee alone.

Business Council Supports Further Contacts

The ambassador highlighted meetings of the Saudi-Ethiopian Business Council and efforts to develop commercial and investment relationships. He identified agriculture among the areas with investment potential. The interview sets out an ambition to expand trade; it does not announce new coffee purchase contracts or a quantified increase in coffee shipments for October.

Buyer Perspective

Our view is that the update reinforces the value of understanding individual Saudi buyers’ requirements. Exporters can prepare offers around the requested cup profile, processing method, grade and volume, then agree how samples will be evaluated. Importers should connect those approvals to the shipment specifications and delivery terms. The reported share explains coffee’s importance in the bilateral relationship, but a national trade total does not establish demand for every Ethiopian origin or quality category.