Institutional actors and their impact on postharvest coffee value chain performance in Ethiopia

The study intends to examine the impact of actors on the performance of the postharvest coffee value in Ethiopia. The article employed a mixed-methods design which is quantitative and qualitative sources collected and analysed sequentially. A total of 355 respondents were selected both clustered and simple random sampling technique and applied the value chain analysis, thematic data analysis, descriptive analysis and followed by inferential statistics. The study attempted to analyse different factors that hinder coffee value chains in the study area. The long value chain is associated with higher prices at each stage of the value chain until the coffee reaches the final consumer. As the value chain becomes longer, the complexity of the value chain also increases, and it becomes sophisticated for producers and consumers. This is associated with increased bureaucracy and competition, which decreases efficiency among actors while increasing the efficiency of the sector. In general, the concentrations of value chain inhibitors are high, making the postharvest value chain inefficient. It is recommended that the Ethiopian coffee market introduce alternative value chains, such as injecting efficient, advanced market-led channels and developing competitive business models allowing producers and exporters to work closely and improve the postharvest coffee value chain.