The quality of tea mainly depends on climatic conditions, the type of soil upon which the plant grows
and the

method of processing. In Ethiopia, tea is mostly grown in the highland dense forest regions where the
land is fertile and thus the use of fertilizer is very minimal.

Moreover, the availability of abundant and cheap labour in the Country has made the use of manual
weeding, instead of chemical weeding, possible. Because of this mostly organic cultivation, Ethiopian
tea is increasingly sought for its aroma and natural flavours. This is confirmed by the "International
Gold Star" award for quality recently given by B.D.I. in Madrid, Spain to one of the major Ethiopian
tea exporters, Tea Production and Marketing Enterprise