Slowdown in Coffee Production

• 29 May 2019

According to Coffee board estimates, Uneven blossom showers will bring down this years coffee bean output to almost half of a normal year’s yield.

• This is for the second successive year after last years cyclone that domestic coffee planters are facing low yield of coffee crop.
• Coffee Board usually gives out two crop estimates in a year: one based on blossoms and the other, after the monsoons.

Blossom Showers – Pre-Monsoon Rains

• Blossom Showers, occur mainly during the March- May months, i.e., before the arrival of monsoon into India. Therefore, they are also called as the April Rains.
• Blossom Showers in Kerala, help in the flowering of plantation crops like Coffee and Tea.

Fact

• As per Upasi’s statistics, India produced 3.16 lakh tonnes of coffee during 2017-18.
• Country’s exports were 3.92 lakh tonnes.
• Karnataka alone accounts for around 80% of the country’s total coffee production.
• India currently has over three lakh small and medium coffee farmers.

Coffee Cultivation in India

• India ranks 6^th among the world’s 80 coffee producing countries, with some of the finest robusta and some top-notch arabica cultivated.
• Nearly 70% of India’s coffee is exported, largely to European and Asian markets.
• Coffee in India is traditionally grown in the rainforests of the Western Ghats in South India, covering Chikmagalur, Kodagu (Coorg), Wayanad, the Shevaroy Hills and the Nilgiris.

Climatic Conditions

• Coffee plant requires hot and humid climate with temperatures ranging between 15°C and 28 °C and rainfall from 150 to 250 cm.
• Frost, snowfall, high temperature above 30°C and strong sun shine is not good for coffee crop and is generally grown under shady trees.
• Dry weather is necessary at the time of ripening of the berries.
• Stagnant water is harmful and the crop is grown on hill slopes at elevations from 600 to 1,600 metres above sea level.
• Well drained, loams containing good deal of humus and minerals like iron and calcium are ideal for coffee cultivation.