Demand for African coffee in China presenting huge market potential: industry insider

The increasing demand for African coffee in China presents huge market potential for coffee producing countries in Africa, Chairman of African Fine Coffees Association Ishak Lukenge said Friday.

Chinese interest in Africa's coffee is a great opportunity for African countries to increase coffee trade volumes to China, Lukenge told Xinhua in an interview on the sidelines of 17th African Fine Coffees Conference and Exhibition in Rwandan capital Kigali.

China's large "coffee-consuming market" will help African countries diversify its coffee sales and spur production and generate more revenues, he said.

China, with its big population, offers a base for product demand and business opportunity for Africa exports, said the chairman.

China is not just offering investment, infrastructure and financial support to African countries, but now also offering its market, said Lukenge.

He encouraged Africa coffee producing countries to enter into joint ventures with partners in China to penetrate the market, thus expanding coffee exports to China.

The conference that runs from Feb. 13 to 15 brings together more than 600 delegates, including 65 exhibitors from across Africa and beyond to discuss ways to raise the quality and competitiveness of the coffee produced in Africa.

Its members include Cameroon, Burundi, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Rwanda.