Supply Response of Export Crops in Zambia : The Case of Coffee

INTRODUCTION: High and sustainable export growth, mainly driven by agricultural productivity, is critical for Zambia to reduce poverty and foster economic development. Despite the fact that, Zambia’s economic policies have for a long time emphasised export diversification, copper remains the main export commodity for Zambia. Coffee, an essential export commodity in most eastern African countries, has suffered declining levels of production amidst declining and unstable world prices. Zambia, in particular, experienced a drastic decline in coffee production from about 6800 metric tonnes (mt) in 2005 to less than 2000 metric tonne in 2009 (Figure 1).