Weather may spoil coffee output

Arabica coffee output this year is expected to be lower than the estimated figure mainly because of unfavourable weather, trade sources said.

In the post blossom estimation released in the mid of 2010, the state-owned Coffee Board said the country will register record a production of 99,500 tonne of Arabica in the current season 2010-11.

However the board has made downward revision when it released post-monsoon estimation in December 2010 forecasting 95.000 tonnes of Arabica output.

Now with the harvesting season for Arabica almost completed, Karnataka Planters Association (KPA), a prime body of coffee planters in the country, said the Arabica production will not exceed 80,000 tonne this season.

KPA chairman Sahadev Balakrishna told FE the latest estimation was done after apprising crop situation in prime Arabica growing areas like Giris, Mallandur and Mudigere in Chikamagalur district, Belur and Saklespur in Hassan district and Somwarpet, Sunticoppa and Madapur in Kodagu district. More than 90% of the Arabica harvest is completed in this area by the third week of February, he said.

The reduction in Arabica output is mainly due to advancement of blossom showers in February-March 2010 followed by continuous wet condition in coffee estates in Karnataka in April-May. Further heavy monsoon from July to August and unprecedented rainfall during November and December 2010 also dragged down the Arabic production.

The major loss in Arabica crop was reported in Karnataka, which tops in coffee production in the country. The state accounts for more than 70% of coffee produced in the country. According to a Coffee Board official, the crop loss were recorded in the regions like Balehonnur, Gonibeedu, Aldur, Mallandur, Giris, Mudigere, Sanivarasanthe, Napoklu, Gonikoppal, Suntikoppa, Rayarkoppal, Yeslur and Saklespur.

Generally Arabica harvest starts by the mid of November in India. But this season, the harvest was delayed by a month due to heavy rains in the Arabica-growing belt in Chikamagalur district. The berries dropped from plants due to heavy rains. The planters could not carry out picking, pulping, drying and other processing work, traders said.

Meanwhile from January to February 18 of the current year, India has exported 10,947 tonne of Arabica Parchment and 2,909 tonne of Arabica Cherry. So far from the total exports reported in the current calender year, around 49% or 6,749 tonne of Arabica bean has been exported to Germany, followed by 25% or 3,474 tonne transported to Italy.

(Source: http://news.in.msn.com/business/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4946677)