New Cycle, New Cherries

Welcoming Coffee Harvest Season in Yemen & Ethiopia

Harvest season has arrived in the highlands where coffee first took root, in the intertwined lands of Yemen and Ethiopia, once united under the ancient kingdom of Saba, a cradle of trade, story, and ritual. Here, coffee isn’t just a crop; it is a living thread of history, binding mountains, terraces, and people across the Red Sea.

In Yemen, the coffee terraces carved into sunbaked mountainsides are among the oldest in the world. The harvest, running from October through March, is never about volume, it represents less than one percent of global supply, with annual output estimated at just 20,000–30,000 metric tons [USDA, 2023]. Yet it is always about character. Yemeni coffee carries flavours that are impossible to mistake: dried fruit, cocoa, spice, and a richness born of centuries of tradition. Long before “cascara” became a buzzword, Yemenis were steeping qishr, an aromatic husk brew laced with ginger and sugar, a ritual of warmth and community [Food52, 2021]. And centuries earlier still, the global coffee trade moved through the Yemeni port of Mokha, giving the world the word “mocha” long before it meant a mix of chocolate and espresso [Smithsonian, 2021]. Even today, some regions see a lighter “fly-crop” in spring, a small encore from trees that never quite stop offering their gifts.

Across the sea in Ethiopia, coffee is entering what farmers call an “on-year,” when yields swell after a lighter cycle. From late September through February, cherries are picked in regions like Sidama and Yirgacheffe, and the numbers are striking. Production for 2024/25 is projected at 10.6 million 60-kg bags, with exports expected to reach 7.0 million bags, nearly a 24% increase year-on-year [USDA, 2025]. This abundance meets a global market that drank 177 million bags last year [ICO, 2024], proof that demand shows no sign of slowing. But beyond the statistics, Ethiopia’s true gift is its unmatched diversity. The country remains the genetic heart of Arabica, with forests still harboring wild strains that give rise to the floral, citrusy, and jammy profiles roasters chase year after year [Montagnon et al., 2023].

What to Expect This Harvest

This year’s harvest in both Yemen and Ethiopia looks to bring both promise and challenges. In Ethiopia, forecasts are pointing to a record-output season: for 2025/26, production is projected to hit 11.56 million bags (≈ 694,000 tons), roughly a 9% increase over the previous cycle. This is driven by rejuvenated plantations, high-yield varieties, and about a 4% expansion in area under coffee cultivation. Ecofin Agency+2USDA Apps+2 Key regions like Sidama and Yirgacheffe are expected to deliver above-average quality thanks to strong flowering and favourable weather. Sustainable Harvest+2Trabocca | In pursuit of great coffee+2 Logistics may be demanding though: shipping routes and export timelines are still sensitive to Red Sea disruptions and port congestion at hubs. Trabocca | In pursuit of great coffee+1

For Yemen, while overall production remains modest, the harvest is expected to benefit from renewed interest in “Yemenia” coffee, a genetically distinct Arabica lineage that may offer climate resilience and premium value. Farrelly Mitchell Farmers are also seeing momentum in sustainability efforts: better pruning, selective red cherry picking, improved drying practices, and traceability work that help with both quality and market access. Sweet Maria\'s Coffee Library+1 That said, the harvest may still be constrained by challenges like infrastructure, climate irregularity (especially rainfall timing), and access to export markets. Farrelly Mitchell+1

Together, Yemen and Ethiopia remind us that harvest is more than an economic milestone. It is coffee’s heartbeat restart, the annual renewal where new flowers, new cherries, and new stories take shape. The cycle connects past to present. Terraces that once supplied caravans, forests that sheltered the very first Arabica plants, and farmers today who still pick each cherry by hand.

Glossary

Cascara (noun)
From the Spanish word for “husk,” cascara is the dried skin of the coffee cherry, often brewed into a tea-like infusion. Naturally sweet and gently caffeinated, it offers flavours reminiscent of dried fruit, hibiscus, or honey. Once considered a by-product, cascara has become a celebrated way to experience the coffee plant beyond the bean.

Qishr (noun)
A traditional Yemeni drink made from coffee husks (cascara) simmered with ginger and sugar. Lighter than brewed coffee yet warmly spiced, qishr has long been shared in Yemeni homes as a symbol of hospitality and community. It represents one of the earliest cultural expressions of coffee, turning the humble husk into a drink of connection.

Fly-Crop (noun)
A smaller, secondary coffee harvest that occurs in some producing regions after the main season. In Yemen, this lighter “encore” crop often appears between April and June, depending on rainfall and climate. While volumes are modest, fly-crop cherries can extend the harvest window and offer unique, sometimes surprising cup profiles.

Bibliography

Farrelly Mitchell. “Yemenia Coffee: Climate Resilience and Promising Economic Opportunity for 2025.” May 2025.

Food52. “Qishr: Yemen’s Ancient Coffee-Husk Drink.” 2021.

International Coffee Organization (ICO). Coffee Market Report – May 2024. London: ICO, 2024.

Montagnon, C. et al. “Evolutionary History of Coffea arabica L.” Nature Genetics 55, 2023.

Smithsonian Magazine. “The Port of Mocha and the Origins of Coffee.” 2021.

Sustainable Harvest. “2024/25 Ethiopia Harvest Update.” March 2025.

Sweet Maria’s / Pearl of Tehama. “Current Situation of Yemeni Coffee: The Agricultural Area …” PDF report, 2021.

Trabocca. “Ethiopia Harvest 2024–2025: Everything You Need to Know.” January 2025.

USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). Coffee Annual: Ethiopia Export Forecast 2025/26. Addis Ababa: USDA, June 2025.

USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). Ethiopia Coffee Annual 2024/25. GAIN Report ET2025-0007, June 2025.

USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). Yemen Coffee Annual 2023/24. GAIN Report YM2023-