 "Coffee, coffee beans")
Bengaluru is all set to host the 5th World Coffee Conference (WCC) from September 25 to 28 at Bengaluru Palace.
The conference is being organised by the International Coffee Organisation (ICO) in collaboration with the Coffee Board of India, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Government of India, the Government of Karnataka, and the coffee industry.
In a statement, K G Jagadeesha, chief executive officer and secretary of the Coffee Board of India, said that Union minister of commerce and industry Piyush Goyal will inaugurate the conference.
The statement further read: "World Coffee Conference-2023 is expected to draw participants from over 80 countries, including more than 2,400 delegates, 117 speakers, 208 exhibitors, over 10,000 visitors, and more than 300 business-to-business meetings."
Jagadeesha said that India receiving ICO approval to host the event was the biggest recognition the country has received as a major producer of coffee. "To make it unique, vibrant and memorable, the board has the active support of 16 coffee committees, with each outfit coming with 25 different stakeholders," he said.
The CEO further said, "Our Robusta, with its undisputed quality, is the best and finest in the world. Our Arabica, although considered second best in the world, fetches a premium on par with Colombian Arabica, which is rated the finest in the world. What eventually matters is perception. Colombia has carried out extensive consumer campaigns."
He said that coffee exports in India are currently over $1 billion. "As an immediate incremental effect of the WCC, the Coffee Board is expecting an increase in export volume and value growth of 10-15 per cent for our coffees in the international markets."
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Around 2,400 people, including coffee growers, roasters, curers, exporters, traders, cafe chain owners, and retailers, will attend the WCC. This comprises over 300 foreign delegates from 60 countries.
India's coffee exports
According to estimates by the Coffee Board, India's coffee exports reached around 399,000 tonnes in 2022.
Widely grown in India, Robusta coffee accounts for over 70 per cent of coffee production, which stood at 342,000 tonnes in the financial year 2022. The country exports over 70 per cent of its coffee.
The post-monsoon estimate of the Coffee Board states that the production of Robusta crop for 2022-23 will be at 259,000 tonnes, up from 247,000 tonnes in the previous year. The Arabica crop is forecast at 101,500 tonnes, against 95,000 tonnes in the previous year.
Coffee-producing states in India
Karnataka is the largest coffee producer in India, accounting for 70 per cent of total coffee production with a volume of 233,000 lakh metric tonnes. In the financial year 2022, the state's total annual coffee production was 233,000 lakh metric tonnes. The Kodagu district in Karnataka accounts for 44 per cent of the total coffee area in the state. The other main coffee-producing regions in Karnataka are Chikmagalur, Hassan, Shimoga, and Mysore.
Kerala is India's second largest coffee producer, with 677,000 metric tonnes of annual production. The state is known for growing two main varieties of coffee — Arabica and Robusta.
Karnataka and Kerala account for around 90 per cent of the total coffee produced in India.
The third highest coffee-producing state in India is Tamil Nadu, which accounts for 5 per cent of total coffee production. In the financial year 2022, Tamil Nadu produced 17,875 metric tonnes of Arabica coffee. The Pulneys and Bodi districts produced the maximum Arabica coffee in over 16,000 hectares of crop area.
The state of Andhra Pradesh is the fourth largest producer of coffee in India, with 7,425 metric tonnes of annual production. It mainly produces Araku coffee.
The most well-known species of coffee grown in India are Robusta and Arabica. The Arabica coffee species was introduced in the Baba Budan Giri hill ranges of Karnataka in the 17th century.
Brazil is the largest coffee-producing country in the world. India exports coffee to countries such as the US, Germany, France, Russia, the UK, Spain, Slovenia, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Greece.
