Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union

yirgacheffe coffee farmers cooperative union (ycfcu) is an ethiopia-based cooperative union headquartered in the gedeo zone of southern ethiopia. it represents 46,094 smallholder arabica farmers across 28 member cooperatives, with farms ranging from 0.65 to 1.5 hectares per member. coffee is grown at elevations between 1,600 and 2,440 meters above sea level in loamy soils, qualifying lots as strictly high grown. the union offers both washed and natural processed yirgacheffe arabica, with harvest running mid-september through end of january. all member farmers practice 100% organic production methods. ycfcu holds fairtrade certification since 2008, covering 25 member cooperatives and 36,074 certified members at the time of the fairtrade africa profile. the union is exempt from the ethiopian commodity exchange, allowing it to transact directly with international buyers at premium prices. dedicated coffee gardens across member farms total approximately 37,810 hectares and produce around 20,000 metric tons of washed and sun-dried coffee annually. ycfcu is a primary point of contact for exporters and roasters sourcing traceable, certified yirgacheffe green coffee at cooperative scale.