The Hindu Business Line : Coffee output next crop year may be hit by weather woes

Exports estimate
Until last weekend, provisional exports of coffee were 1.09 lakh tonnes against 1.05 lt during the same period last year.
Re-exports are estimated at around 11,000 tonnes against 6,000 tonnes during the same time a year ago.

M.R. Subramani

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Chennai, June 1 Coffee production next crop year beginning October could only be a little higher than last after blossoming of plants was affected in some parts due to untimely rains in February and March.

“In some areas, which are not irrigated, the rains fell exactly when the flowers were to bloom. It has affected the crop and production will surely be hit,” said Mr Bose Mandanna, a grower and former Vice-Chairman of the Coffee Board.

“But the crop will not be as bad as initially feared. The blossoms in irrigated areas, mainly robustas, was not affected much as the rains came only on the eighth day of the process,” said Mr Anil Bhandari, former president of the United Planters Association of Southern India (Upasi).

For the current season, the Coffee Board has pegged production at 2.62 lakh tonnes. This is against initial estimates of 2.91 lakh tonnes. Last year, too, weather played havoc with the crop, especially with the growing regions in Kodagu experiencing heavy rains during monsoon.

Remnant circulation

What happened this year was that during the second week of March, heavy rains lashed across the South, affecting blossoming of arabica and robusta and endangering setting of fruits in the plants.

The rains lashed continuously in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh due to a remnant cyclonic circulation. Rain does fall during March every year in the coffee-growing areas, but usually it is in isolated areas.

Kodagu, which accounts for over 50 per cent of coffee production in Karnataka and 40 per cent in the country, experienced heavy rainfall during that time. “15-20 per cent of the crop has been affected. The problem is more with robusta,” said Mr Mandanna.

Mr Bhandari said robusta was a cross-pollination plant, the reason why the crop was affected badly in non-irrigated areas. “The arabicas are self-pollinated and therefore, there is not much danger due to the weather,” he said.

However, the arabica continues to be affected by the white stem borer. “The disease is affecting the crop this year too but there is no increase in incidence compared with the previous one,” Mr Bhandari said.

Export trail

Meanwhile, exports continue to do well. For the current year, until last weekend, provisional exports of coffee were 1.09 lakh tonnes against 1.05 lt during the same period last year. However, re-exports are pushing this year’s gains, estimated at around 11,000 tonnes against 6,000 tonnes during the same time a year ago.

“There are no problems with exports. We have to export since the whole sector depends on it,” Mr Bhandari said. Nearly two-thirds of the coffee grown in the country is exported, though internal consumption is showing signs of improving.

Farmgate prices of coffee also continue to rule firm, with arabica parchment being quoted at Rs 4,925-5,000 a bag of 50-kg, while robusta cherry is quoted at Rs 2,325-2,475 a bag.

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