Delayed pre-blossom showers likely to affect coffee output

The country’s coffee production for 2010-11 is likely to be less than normal due to late and inadequate pre-blossom showers in major growing regions of south India. The rainfall during February and March was lower than normal this year in coffee-growing areas of Karnataka, while it was fairly satisfactory in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. This may lead to a 24 per cent decline in this year’s coffee output, estimated at 220,000 tonnes, industry sources say.

According to the Coffee Board, the domestic output was 289,600 tonnes in 2009-10. This may be revised as most growers are yet to sell their entire produce for the year. The growers are yet to pick up gleanings (coffee fruit found lying on the ground beneath coffee bushes, having detached during harvest). Once they collect that, the exact production for the last year will be known, says K M Nanaiah, chairman, Karnataka Planters’ Association.

“There was no rain in February and March and as a result, robusta crop may be affected. However, close to 60 per cent coffee-growing areas under robusta are irrigated. So, we can be assured of around 60 per cent of the last year’s output, which is about 120,000 tonnes at this juncture. But, the arabica crop, which is fully dependent on rainfall, has been also affected. About 40 per cent area under arabica was partially affected due to inadequate moisture, 30 per cent of the area received fairly satisfactory rain, while another 30 per cent received no rain till the second week of April,” said Nanaiah.

Nanaiah said after March 15, there was sporadic rain in some areas and so natural fruit setting was yet to be established. Flowering is over in all growing areas. After April 15, there was rainfall in all growing areas across south India.

“We have to wait for the Coffee Board to complete its pre-blossom survey for the likely size of the crop this year,” he said. The Coffee Board is expected to come out with pre-blossom estimates by the end of May.

However, industry sources estimate that, going by the current rainfall and moisture levels, the coffee crop for the current year could be in the range of 220,000 tonnes, about 24 per cent less than last year.

The rubusta crop requires 1-1.25 centimetres rain while the arabica variety needs 2-2.5 centimetres rain during the pre-blossom period. Within 20 days, a back-up shower of 1 centimetre is ideal for fruit setting and development. This year, the rain was nowhere near the normal and both robusta and arabica crops suffered from inadequate precipitation, he said.