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India sixth largest producer of coffee
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Wednesday, 16 July, 2008, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Nandita Vijay, Bangalore
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India is the sixth prime producer of coffee in the world after Brazil, Vietnam, Columbia, Indonesia and Ethiopia. The country accounts for around 4.5% of the global coffee production. Much of all production takes place in the southern states of the country with the hilly scapes of Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and North Eastern region (Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh) contributing to a small portion of the cultivation.
There are over 170,000 coffee farms in India, cultivating nearly 900,000 acres of coffee trees. The plantations in the south are the cradle of Indian coffee and account for over 92% of all the coffee grown in the country. Bababudangiris in Karnataka is the heart of coffee plantations in India. Most coffee production in India is on small farms, with over 90% of all farms consisting of 10 acres or less. However, such farms account for just over half of all land used for coffee production and a minority of all coffee produced.
Coffee production in major states in India
(Source Coffee Board)
Coffee varieties:
The two varieties of coffee are Arabica and Robusta. The former constitutes the high quality blends producing superior taste, aroma and flavour and the latter is the low quality and cheaper blends resulting in a bitter brew, with a musty flavour and less body. Because of this, high quality coffees consist of cent per cent Arabica beans.
Speciality coffees are high quality coffees that differ from normal coffee with relevance to visual quality These coffees are popular in the global markets. There are five specialty coffees:decaffeinated coffee, organic coffees, high grown coffees, estate coffee (single origin coffees) and variety coffee.
Some of the Indian selections like Kents, Agaro, Cioccie, CxR are unique in their cup quality. Separate processing of these varieties help in processing their intrinsic quality. India is famed for its Monsooned Malabar variety which is known for the monsooned flavour, mellow taste and golden look. Consumers in Scandinavian countries love it for its special colour and flavour. The main grades of this variety are Monsooned Malabar AA, Monsooned Basanally, Monsooned Robusta AA. Another well-known variety is the Mysore Nuggets Extra Bold.
Others include Arabica Plantation Coffee (Washed coffee) grown in the Mysore, Coorg, Biligiris and Shevaroys regions. The Robusta Kaapi Royale is prepared from Robusta Parchment AB from the regions of Mysore, Coorg, Wynad, Shevaroys, Pulneys and Barbabudans.
Coffee Board of India
The Coffee Board of India is an autonomous body, functioning under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. It focuses on research, development, extension, quality upgradation, market information, and the domestic and external promotion of Indian coffee.
Coffee Research initiatives:
The Central Coffee Research Institute(CCRI), set up in the heartland of coffee tracts, near Balehonnnur in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka.
The Institute is involved in intensive research in the disciplines of Plant Breeding, Agronomy, Agricultural Chemistry & Soil Science, Plant Physiology, Pathology, Entomology and Post-harvest Technology. The research farm spans over an area of 130 hectares with about 80 hectares cultivated with coffee.
Early this year, The Coffee Board has released a new Arabica coffee variety 'Chandragiri' for commercial cultivation into the Indian coffee tracts. The variety is known for its high field tolerance to leaf rust disease and its superior bean quality.
Over two decades of research by the CCRI went into the development of Chandragiri which is a hybrid derived from Villa Sarchi, a semi dwarf mutant of Bourbon coffee and Hibrido de Timor, a spontaneous hybrid of Robusta and Arabica.
There are also Regional research stations to assess the variety and quality based on different agro-climatic zones. These are located at Coffee Research Sub-station (CRSS), Chettalli, Coorg, Karnataka, Regional Coffee Research Station (RCRS), R.V. Nagar in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, Regional Coffee Research Station (RCRS), Chundale in Wayanad, Kerala, Regional Coffee Research Station (RCRS), Thandigudi, Dindigul, Tamil Nadu and Regional Coffee Research Station (RCRS), Diphu, Karbi Anglon, Assam.
Coffee Production
According to the Coffee Board, the post blossom crop forecast for the year 2008-09 is 293,000 tonnes, which is an increase of 31,000 tonnes (11.83%) over the previous 2007-08 season's post monsoon estimate of 2,62,000 tonnes.
The Arabica and robusta break up is 100,000 tonnes and 193,000 tonnes respectively. Arabica production is forecast to be higher by 7,500 tonnes (8.11%) and robusta production by 23,500 tonnes (13.86%) over the post monsoon forecast of 2007-08.
By the states, the production gain has mainly come from Karnataka to the tune of 73% (22,595 tonnes) followed by Kerala 26% (8,200 tonnes) and Non-Traditional Areas 5% (1680 tonnes). However, in Tamil Nadu there is a production loss to the tune of 5% (1475 tonnes).
In Karnataka, the increase in production is more pronounced in the district of Hassan with 46.28% (8,875 tonnes) followed by Chikmagalur 12.64% (8,050 tonnes) and Coorg 5.22% (5,670 tonnes). Between arabica and robusta, the increase is more in robusta in all the three districts compared to arabica. The robusta production increased by 59% in Hassan followed by 20% in Chikmagalur and 7.21% in Kodagu district. In arabica the increase is in Hassan (40%) and Chikmagalur (7%) while in Coorg there was a marginal decline of 1.5%. The major zones, which have shown higher increase, are Belur (70.59%), Hanbal (62.8%), Yeslur (43.29%) and Sakleshpur (33.55%) zones of Hassan, Mudigere (39.19%) and Gonibeedu (32.05%) zones of Chikmagalur, Madikeri (33.24%) zones of Kodagu districts. Good rainfall during October to March helped in moisture retention for longer period which in-turn helped in the production of more bearing wood for the crop during the current season. Karnataka is placed at 81,270 tonnes of arabica and 132,900 tonnes of robusta totaling 214,170 tonnes. Overall, there is 11.79% increase over the previous season's production in Karnataka with a break up of 9.90% in arabica and 12.99% in robusta.
Kerala coffee zones accounted for 57,200 tonnes, which is an increase of 16.73% over the previous 2007-08 post monsoon forecast.
Tamil Nadu has shown a fall in production because continuous rains, low temperature causing poor and unhealthy blossom Its post blossom forecast of Tamil Nadu is placed at 16,625 tonnes down by 8.15% over the previous post monsoon forecast of 18,100 tonnes.
In Non-Traditional areas of Andhra Pradesh and Orissa and North Eastern Region, the post-blossom forecast is placed at 5,005 tonnes against previous post monsoon estimate of 3,325 tonnes. The increase is mainly from Andhra Pradesh and Orissa (53.70%).
Indian coffee in international markets
India exported 24, 8687 tonnes of coffee in 2006-07. Europe accounts for about 70% of India's total coffee exports. Of this again, 70% is shipped via Suez Canal. Major Indian coffee importing countries include Italy, Germany, Russian Federation, Spain, Belgium, Slovenia, US, Japan, Greece, Netherlands and France.
Exports of Coffe
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