Coffee exports rise 15% in Jan-Feb

Coffee Shipments from India, the world's fifth-biggest exporter, were 54,679 tonnes a year ago

Coffee exports rose 15 per cent to 62,956 tonnes during January to February on firm global prices, according to the Coffee Board.

Shipments from India, the world's fifth-biggest exporter, were 54,679 tonnes a year ago.

"Coffee exports have risen on account of improved price trend in the international market," a senior Coffee Board official told PTI.

In value, exports increased to Rs 937 crore in the first two months of this year against Rs 824 crore a year ago. Most were to Italy (17,205 tonnes), followed by Germany (7,513 tonnes), Belgium (3,709 tonnes), Jordan (3,189 tonnes), Turkey (3,053 tonnes) and Russia (2,576 tonnes), by the Board's data.

Experts said global prices had risen to the highest in February, fuelled by fears over falling production in top producer Brazil. On February 20, Arabica jumped to 177.5 cents a pound, the highest since October 2012, they added. Of total exports, the shipments of Arabica rose 35 per cent to 19,856 tonnes from 14,696 tonnes a year ago.

Instant coffee shipments more than doubled to 10,902 tonnes during the January-February period of 2014, from 3,918 tonnes in the year-ago period, the data showed.

However, re-exports declined to 4,754 tonnes from 10,495 tonnes in the corresponding period.

Top five exporters were Amalgamated Bean Coffee Trading Company Ltd, CCL Products India Ltd, Allanasons, ITC and Olam Agro India during the January-February period of this year.

The board has pegged the total output at 3,11,500 tonnes for 2013-14 crop year (October-September), down by 2.1% from 3,18,200 tonnes produced in 2012-13.