Over 200 million dollars was generated from 84,000tn of commodities in the first quarter of the fiscal year, including coffee, tea and spices. The boost is attributed to the measures taken to improve quality by the newly-formed national committee to oversee the entire product chain, according to Adugna Debela (PhD), director general at the Ethiopian Coffee & Tea Authority. In addition, the Authority has been working with agriculture extension workers in introducing seeds that suit the ecology of the country to enhance productivity. There are challenges with regard to quality and implementation of guidelines that the authority has to tackle in the coming seasons, according to Hussien Agraw, president of the Ethiopian Coffee Exporters Association. Ethiopia plans to export 300,000tn of coffee, tea and spices in the current fiscal year.