Excessive rains may dampen India's record coffee output prospects

The Coffee Board of India had pegged a record 347,000 tonnes of coffee output for 2013-14

Coffee Board of India’s ambitious estimates for a record coffee output of 347,000 tonnes for 2013-14 crop year are unlikely to materialise following exceptionally heavy rains during the months of June, July and August.

 

Major coffee growing regions in the districts of Chikmagalur, Kodagu and Hassan have witnessed more than 70 days of heavy rains accompanied by gusty winds during the first three months of monsoon, which resulted in black rot and stalk rot disease. As a result of this, there was above normal berry dropping and fruit dropping in both Arabica and Robusta estates. The berry dropping was much higher in Robusta plants.

 

As against the Coffee Board’s post blossom estimates, the production might go down below last year’s production. In 2012-13, India produced 318,200 tonnes. According to Karnataka Planters’ Association (KPA), which has members drawn from across the major growing regions, this year’s production could be in the region of 270,000 tonnes.

 

“This year, we have seen the heaviest rainfall in more than 20 years and in the month of July, the rains were 30 per cent higher than the normal rainfall. There was no sunshine for over two months and majority of the estates have reported water logging and “Wet foot disease” due to which not only berry drops but also leaves fall,” Nishant R Gurjer, Chairman, KPA said.

 

The KPA expects at least 25-30 per cent drop in the current year’s coffee output. The KPA had earlier this year estimated the current year’s coffee production at 290,000 tonnes.

 

Karnataka accounts for 70 per cent of India’s annual coffee output.

 

The Coffee Board has accepted this fact and has sent necessary advisory to growers, he said.

 

Due to the prevailing situation, the current crop for 2013-14 and the next crop for the year 2014-15 will drastically go down and a post-blossom figure of 347,000 tonnes estimated by the Coffee Board will not be reached, he said.

 

“We have requested the Coffee Board to survey the affected growing districts and come out with a realistic estimate for the current year,” Gurjer said.

 

For the year 2012-13, India’s coffee production was 318,200 tonnes comprising 98,600 tonnes of Arabica and 219,600 tonnes of Robusta beans. For the year 2013-14, the Board had estimated 347,000 tonnes of production comprising 111,000 tonnes of Arabica and 236,000 tonnes of Robusta in its post-blossom estimates. However, the post-monsoon estimates, which will come end of October, would give the realistic picture of the current season, an official spokesperson of United Planters’ Association of South India (Upasi) said.

 

However, the production prospects for 2013 season are somewhat mixed due to the changes in the weather pattern across major exporting countries which may have an adverse effect on the final crop.

 

In Brazil, the crop was anticipated to be record higher for an off-year in the biennial cycle, and as per the CONAB, the official crop forecasting agency in Brazil, the crop is anticipated to be in the region of 46.98 to 50.4 million bags. But the recent frost damage reported in some coffee growing regions of Brazil would down size the crop to a certain extent, Upasi official said.