Kerala production may decline 15%

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.