|
| Recent rains may not impact coffee output |
| BS Reporter / Chennai/ Bangalore Nov 14, 2009, 00:58 IST |
|
The recent heavy rains are unlikely to have an adverse impact on the country’s coffee output. On the other hand these rains will help hasten the ripening process. The spread of the berry borer and white stem borer will be controlled, adding to prospects of the crop, said Coffee Board chairman G V Krishna Rau on Friday.
So, the country’s coffee output may yet cross 300,000 tonnes this year, as estimated by the Coffee Board, post-blossom. Some regions in Chikmagalur and Kodagu districts have received hailstorms and some areas in the Mudigere taluk of Chikmagalur have received excess rainfall, but it is unlikely to have a major impact on the overall crop size with the crop loss being restricted to these regions alone. “The exact amount of damage will be known only once the board comes out with its post-monsoon estimates by November-end,” Rau said.
During crop year 2008-09, the board had estimated the output to be around 293,000 tonnes. However, due to the heavy crop loss in Karnataka following erratic rains and pest menace, the output declined to around 262,300 tonnes.
For the present crop year beginning October 2009, the board has estimated an output of around 306,300 tonnes — arabica 101,525 tonnes and robusta 204,755 tonnes — to arrive in the market in January 2010.
This year, the heavy rains of August have washed off the berry borer. Also, these rains are not unusual. The dry period starts only after these rains. These rains also help fresh wood to grow which will respond to the blossom showers in March, and will give a good crop next year. Because of these rains and low temperature, whatever little berry borer is left, that has also become inactive. Due to the rains, the robusta ripening will hasten. The ripening process will complete 15 days in advance. Because of this, the remaining berry borer becomes inactive, as time available for it is not adequate to multiply, Rau said.
As far as arabica is concerned, white stem borer is a major menace. However, November rains have reduced the temperature and made the borer inactive, Ripening will advance and almost the entire crop will ripen at one go. “So, once complete ripening takes place in one phase, harvesting becomes easy, you don’t have to do selective plucking,” said Rau.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Read Business news in |  |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advertisements |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Content Guide
