Bangalore – Coffee exports in the crop year (October 2011-September 2012) are down 8.54 per cent at 3.21 lakh tonnes (lt) compared with previous years (2010-11) exports of 3.51 lt.
The decline in exports is mainly due to lower robusta crop production in 2011-12 as compared to previous year. In crop year 2010-11, the country saw record robusta output, M.P. Devaiah, General Manager, Allanasons, was quoted by Business Line as saying.
Decline in production also has contributed to the fall in exports, said Bose Mandana, a senior coffee planter from Suntikoppa (Kodagu).
White stem borer (WSB) which is currently ravaging the plantation belts in Karnataka, for last four years, has resulted in many estates having more non-fruit bearing plants resulting in less quality coffee for exports, he explained.
Coffee Board, which released statistics for crop year 2011-12, said unit value realisation of Indian coffee went up 12.03 per cent at Rs 1.49 lakh a tonne as against last years realisation of Rs 1.33 lakh.
Exports in rupee term are marginally up 2.12 per cent at Rs 4,800 crore (Rs 4,700 crore).
However, in terms of dollar realisation, it is down 7.10 per cent at $955 million as against $1,028 million.
Devaiah said: As for the prices during crop year 2011-12, the growers got much higher than last crop year. The year also saw lower robusta parchment leading to record prices, almost equal to Arabica.
Coffee Grades
At the end of first nine-months (January September) of exports, arabica parchment constituted 40,023 tonnes (last years exports stood at 38,690 tonnes), arabica cherry 11,357 tonnes (9,771 tonnes), robusta parchment 21,575 tonnes (25,727 tonnes) and robusta cherry 1,21,223 tonnes (1,38,799 tonnes) and instant coffee total exports 70,226 (72,914 tonnes).