Prevalence of Some Coffee Quality Problems in Gomma Woreda, Jimma Zone

Abstract

Despite the favorable climatic conditions, variety of coffee types and long history of coffee production in Jimma Zone, Gomma Woreda, quality of coffee is poor due to traditional poor pre and post harvest practices. Therefore; a study was conducted to assess the occurrence of some of coffee quality problems in the woreda, in 2013. For quantitative analysis participant respondents were drawn and cross sectional survey data were collected from 30 households. The result indicated that majority of coffee farmers households were headed by males (83%) with large family size (73%). In addition to that, most of the respondents (83.33%) owned old coffee trees (>20 years). The analysis on the pruning practice, harvesting stage, coffee storage method also showed that 93.3% of the respondents practice pruning and 100% of the respondents harvest coffee at full maturity stage but 80% of the respondents mix differently harvested coffee during storage and selling. From the study we can conclude that institutional factors like age and educational status are found to be major problem whereas, sex and head household has little effects on coffee quality. Moreover; pre-harvest and post harvest practices like age of coffee, disease and weed prevention, compost application, storage condition and storage time have significant effect on quality of coffee. Future research should therefore; focus on creating awareness among extension workers and farmers about pre and post harvest management of coffee