Alhamdani Family at Glance In 1870, Ahmed Ahmed Alhamdani inaugurated the first center for buying/selling Yemeni Coffee which was located in Bao’an Market, Bani Matar District. Bao'an Market is a strategic site and significant place where farmers gathered from all areas. Bao'an Market has been historically recognized for long time as the market where farmers from all areas in Yemen could buy their requirements and sell their crops; the farmers used to come from different coffee planting areas such as Bani Matar, Alhaima, Bani Ismael, Haraz….etc. These are the destination of all exporters to buy Yemeni coffee. By 1885, The coffee center as well as Alhamdani family have acquired sufficient experience and then become known and achieved their trustworthy trade name and a goodwill in coffee industry as they became reliable and trusty for farmers due to the good management feature and faithfulness of Alhaj Ahmed Ahmed Alhamdani who provided free of interest loans for farmers to be repaid after harvesting of crops. Mr. Ahmed Alhamdani gained the trust of many exporters and merchant. In 1890, the first shipment was exported from Mocha seaport and the destination was France. The coffee was transported by camels within 3-4 days in commercial caravans due to the hard road from Bani Matar District to Mocha sea port in Taiz Governorate. Mocha seaport is 350 Km away from Bani Matar District. The Center has become the leading center in Yemen in terms of many factors; the number of farmers dealing/merchandising with it, the variety of types of Yemeni Coffee offered and the long experience of Alhamdani family in choosing the high quality crops. Haj Ahmed Ahmed Alhamdani passed away in 1910 and the business activity was transferred to his successor, his son Mr. Ali Ahmed Alhamdani who exercised the business entrusted to him by his father. In 1911 many parts of the castles of Mocha city was destroyed during the The Italian ottoman war. In 1913, Mocha seaport was re-launched and business resumed, by which Mr. Ali Ahmed Alhamdani could export may shipments from the seaport to France, Italy and Netherlands destinations. After awhile, the first world war begun and Mocha seaport was destroyed again in 1915 by the Britain colonization during the conflict with Ottomans who take over and controlled Mocha seaport. This lead to fall of coffee prices to the lowest level. This was a major challenge faced by the family as Alhamdani Center had a large stock of coffee stored in Bani Matar. In 1917, business was resumed and Mocha seaport was rehabilitated and export activity begun to Turkey, France destinations and coffee prices increase again. In 1925, Alhamdani Family expanded their business activities once they inaugurated the 1st branch to collect coffee crops in Haraz area ; such branch still recognizable up to date. The business expansion continues up to 5 branches in many areas. The Headquarter was located in Bani Matar and by 1940 many branches have been opened in Haraz, Alhaima, Hajja, Saada areas. In 1956, an international agreement was concluded between Yemen and Russia and signed by the prince Albadr Saif Al-Isalm Ahmed Hameed Al-Deen and the Soviet Union. The agreement stated that 310 Tons of Yemeni Coffee shall be exported to the Soviet Union by barter for Sugar and Cement import from Russia. The Imamate rule/regime in Yemen has bought large quantities of coffee , 120 tons of which were supplied by Alhamdni Center, which then was exported. Such decision multiplied the center business activities and enhance the trust between Alhamdani Family and the imamate rule after the bad relationship between them. A positive impact was gained and reflected by the trust of the Russian coffee importers and the export took place to Russia with no mediators, brokers. A mail message was forwarded to Sana'a and then to Bani Matar, then translated , and the orders prepared accordingly. In 1965, after the Yemeni Revolution and the Imamate ended, the republican rule started to enacourage the agricultural exports in general and coffee in particular. Then Hodaidah Seaport was established which was the milestone in the history of corporation. In 1990, Alhamdani Corporation for Yemeni Coffee was established in Sana'a city and export in large quantities started to KSA and many Arab Gulf countries destinations. In 2007, a plant was constructed for Removing Peels and Packing for coffee by modern machines, such facility increased the exports to Arab Gulf countries, Europe, USA, Japan and Korea. In 2011, Alhamdani plant was expanded and became the largest coffee production plant in the middle east as 1000 tons were exported annually which is 40% of the Yemen coffee production. The corporation expansion served the buying of crops from farmers in fair prices , to provide training courses for farmers to teach them the appropriate practices and methods of the crops harvesting , the damages might caused by using the chemical fertilizers , the natural fertilizers supply which made from the animal residuals, to encourage and support of many projects such as water barriers in many areas. Most important of which is Bani Matar area and to renovate some roads linked the coffee farms and to construct 13 water tanks to store water in the rainfall season, to facilitate irrigation. The corporation allocated an annual budget to support farmers and this year, the farmers will be supported by large and medium-sized projects in many area of coffee production and will be reported and document by photos in due course. In 2020, 43,000 farmers from different coffee production areas in Yemen are dealing with the corporation. In 2020, Alhamdani Arabica Corporation exported 1185 tons of coffee, 952 tons out of which were exported to Arab Gulf countries, Europe, USA , Korea and Japan and 233 tons were sold in the Yemeni local markets.