Coffee output may fall by 2.2pc this yr due to crop damage

Coffee output is likely to drop by 2.2 per cent to 3.11 lakh tonnes this year as crop has been affected by drought followed by harsh monsoon in Karnataka and Kerala, the Coffee Board said today.
The country had harvested 3.18 lakh tonnes of coffee in the 2012-13 marketing year (October-September).
Releasing the revised estimates, the board said that total coffee production is expected to be 3.11 lakh tonnes in 2013-14, down by 10.23 per cent from the earlier estimate of 3.47 lakh tonnes for the same period.
Production of Arabica has declined by 8 per cent to 1.02 lakh tonnes, while robusta by over 11 per cent to 2.09 lakh tonnes, from over the earlier estimate. Maximum drop in production is seen in Karnataka and Kerala.

Citing reasons for lowering production estimates, the board said, "During the current season, coffee areas have witnessed a long period of drought after receiving blossom showers, followed by an extremely harsh monsoon."
Due to long period of drought in April-May, there was heavy proliferation of White Stem Borer disease but subsequent monsoon rains helped in preventing further spread of this pest. Later, extended rains led to soil saturation and wet feet conditions resulting in defoliation, berry drop and incidences of stalk rot and black rot, it added.
As per revised estimates, coffee output in Karnataka is pegged at 2.17 lakh tonnes, Kerala at 67,275 tonnes, Tamilnadu at Rs 18,875 tonnes, Andhra Pradesh at 7,010 tonnes, Odisha at 440 tonnes and north east region at 200 tonnes this year.

Currently, harvesting of Arabica is almost complete, while that of robusta will continue till March.