India's coffee exports up 9% in Jan-May

Shipments for the product stood at Rs 2,347.92 crore in the corresponding period last year

India's coffee exports increased by 9.32% in value terms at Rs 2,567 crore during the January-May period this year on better realisation in view of firm global prices, according to the Coffee Board.

Coffee shipments from India, the world's fifth biggest exporter, stood at Rs 2,347.92 crore in the corresponding period last year.

In volume terms, however, the shipments fell marginally to 1,59,275 tonnes in January-May of 2014 from 1,59,295 tonnes in the year-ago period.

"Because of firm global price trend, we got average export realisation of Rs 1,61,160 per tonne. This is 9% higher than Rs 1,47,394 per tonne earned in the year-ago period," a senior Board official said.

Global coffee prices have risen by more than 80% during the period - after having dipped sharply last year - on expectation of production fall in the world's largest coffee producer Brazil, the official added.

According the Board's latest data, the country exported 43,465 tonnes of Arabica coffee and 73,645 tonnes of Robusta coffee during the January-May of this year.

The Arabica shipments rose by 31% from 33,220 tonnes, while Robusta exports dropped by 15% from 86,736 tonnes in the said period.

The shipment of instant coffee rose significantly by 91% to 18,875 tonnes in January-May of this year as against 9,850 tonnes in the year-ago.

Total domestic output is expected to be in line with the Board's estimate of 3,11,500 tonnes for 2013-14 crop year (October-September), down by 2.1% from 3,18,200 tonnes produced in 2012-13.

India exports coffee largely to Italy, Germany, Belgium, Jordan, Turkey and Russia, among others.