India’s coffee production is expected to decline to around 2.95 lakh tonne in the current coffee year on account of lower robusta output, according to industry experts.
The country had produced 3.02 lakh tonne of the brew in the 2010-11 coffee year (October-September), which included 94,140 tonne of arabica and 2.07 lakh tonne of robusta, according to the Coffee Board data.
“We expect coffee output to decline in the current crop year due to an expected decline in robusta production on account of heavy rains and also as the current year is an ’off-year’,” All India Coffee Exporters Association President Mr Ramesh Rajah told PTI.
Arabica output, however is expected to be around one lakh tonne, give or take 5,000 tonne, he added.
The coffee crop has a bi-annual cycle, where the crop production peaks every alternate year.
Agreeing with Mr Rajah’s views, Karnataka Planters Association Chairman Mr Marvin Rodrigues said that initial trends suggest that robusta production could be lower on account of inclement weather.
“We expect robusta production to be around 2 lakh tonne, while arabica would be about 95,000 tonne,” Mr Rodrigues, who is also a large coffee grower said.
According to the government-run Coffee Board of India’s post-blossom (initial) estimate, the country will produce 3.22 lakh tonne of the brew, with arabica at 1.04 lakh tonne and robusta output at 2.17 lakh tonne.
Coffee Board does not expect any significant change in the post-monsoon production estimates.
“Finalisation of the post-monsoon estimation is in progress and preliminary results indicate that there may not be significant changes,” Coffee Board Chairman Mr Jawaid Akhtar said.