Coffee output in Kerala may decline by 15 per cent to 50,000 tonnes in 2007-08 (April-March) on completion of the harvesting operations compared with 59,000 tonnes a year ago, according to K Annapoornaiah, joint director, Coffee Board. | |
| Harvesting operations in most parts of the state are over and the output will be in the range of 49,000-50,000 tonnes, in line with Coffee Board's post-monsoon estimate, he said. |
| |
| Growers, however, feel the output in 2007-08 will be down by 25-30 per cent from the previous year. |
| |
| Output in Wayanad district, accounting for over 80 per cent of Kerala's coffee production, is less than 40,000 tonnes, said K Modiu, president Wayanad Coffee Growers Association. |
| |
| According to Annapoornaiah, production in Wayanad will be around 41,000 tonnes in 2007-08 compared with 49,000 tonnes a year ago. |
| |
| Output slipped because of heavy rain in coffee-growing areas during August-September, he said. |
| |
| Rain caused the beans to drop besides fungus infection to coffee plants due to excess moisture in the soil, Modiu said. |
| |
| Growers and Coffee Board officials are, however, optimistic about better prospects for coffee output in 2008-09 due to favourable climate at present. |
| |
| Rain in coffee-growing areas since the last couple of days are good for the plants to blossom, Moidu said. |
| |
| Though it is too early to make a post-blossom estimate, agro-climatic conditions in growing areas so far promise a good crop, Annapoornaiah said. |
| |
| A clear indication of the post-blossom crop estimate may be available after one month, he added. |
| |
| Kerala is the second-largest coffee-growing state in India after Karnataka, accounting for around 15-20 per cent of the total output. |
| |
| Post-monsoon estimate by Coffee Board has placed India's coffee output at 262,000 tonnes in the current financial year, down by around 10 per cent from a year ago. |
| |
|
| |
