Known for natural beauty and tea gardens, Palanpur (Himachal Pradesh) and Darjeeling (West Bengal) would soon find a place on India's map of new coffee-growing areas.
A coffee board official said that due to a sharp rise in coffee consumption in the domestic market in last five years, the government is exploring coffee-growing potentials in non-traditional regions such as Himachal Pradesh and West Bengal. “At present, we are carrying out trials in these regions as climatic conditions are similar to the traditional coffee-growing areas in South India and northeast. Depending on the results, we will promote coffee production in these areas,” said Jawaid Akhtar, chairman of Coffee Board.
“Some of these regions at higher altitude are suited for growing Arabicas of mild quality while those with warm and humid conditions are best suited for Robustas coffee,” Akhtar said.
Coffee Board, which governs production and trade, has asked scientists at Chickmangalur-based Central Coffee Research Institute, Bangalore-based Indian Institute of Horticultural Research and other state agricultural universities to carry out trials for commercial cultivation of coffee in Himachal Pradesh and West Bengal. At present, coffee is grown in three regions — Karnataka (53%), Kerala (28%) and Tamil Nadu (11%) in South India, followed by the non-traditional areas of Andhra Pra-desh, Orissa and some parts of the northeastern states.
In last five years, Araku coffee, grown in the Eastern Ghats — the Chintapalli and Paderu areas of Visakhapatnam — has made its mark globally on account of its organic nature and aromatic flavour.
Ever since the entry of domestic and global coffee chains, coffee consumption has seen a sharp rise particularly in the northern and western parts of the country. “The domestic consumption is growing at 5% to 6% and we are looking at new areas to meet the rising demand in the country and abroad,” Akhtar said.
Last week, coffee board has estimated the output for 2013-14 (October-September) at 3.1 lakh tonne, which has shown a reduction of 35,500 tonne or —10.23% over the post-blossom estimates of 2013-14 of 3.4 tonne. The domestic consumption is estimated at 1.08 lakh tonne. Of the total estimate, the break up for Arabica and Robusta is about one lakh tonne and close to 2.1 lakh tonne respectively.
As per estimates, Arabica production may fall 8.11% by 9,000 tonne and Robusta production may fall 11.23% by 26,500 tonne. “In the current season, coffee areas have witnessed a long period of drought after receiving blossom showers, followed by an extremely harsh monsoon,” the board has recently stated in a statement.
Meanwhile, coffee exports rose marginally by nearly 3% to 3.14 lakh tonne in 2013 on back of a sharp jump in re-export of instant coffee, despite sluggish global prices. The country had exported 3.05 lakh tonnes of coffee in 2013, it said in its latest report. "Exports have picked up since October due to stability in global coffee prices," said Jawaid Akhtar.
Highlighting export trends, additional secretary at the commerce ministry JS Deepak said: "Coffee exports performed well in October-December 2013 with a rise of 33% to 60,664 tonne from 45,510 tonne in the same period last year."
Exports of value-added variety and instant coffee type have seen a sharp rise in last few years, thereby, increasing margin and export-value realisation, he added.
Source:financialexpress
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| Coffee Plant |
A coffee board official said that due to a sharp rise in coffee consumption in the domestic market in last five years, the government is exploring coffee-growing potentials in non-traditional regions such as Himachal Pradesh and West Bengal. “At present, we are carrying out trials in these regions as climatic conditions are similar to the traditional coffee-growing areas in South India and northeast. Depending on the results, we will promote coffee production in these areas,” said Jawaid Akhtar, chairman of Coffee Board.
“Some of these regions at higher altitude are suited for growing Arabicas of mild quality while those with warm and humid conditions are best suited for Robustas coffee,” Akhtar said.
Coffee Board, which governs production and trade, has asked scientists at Chickmangalur-based Central Coffee Research Institute, Bangalore-based Indian Institute of Horticultural Research and other state agricultural universities to carry out trials for commercial cultivation of coffee in Himachal Pradesh and West Bengal. At present, coffee is grown in three regions — Karnataka (53%), Kerala (28%) and Tamil Nadu (11%) in South India, followed by the non-traditional areas of Andhra Pra-desh, Orissa and some parts of the northeastern states.
In last five years, Araku coffee, grown in the Eastern Ghats — the Chintapalli and Paderu areas of Visakhapatnam — has made its mark globally on account of its organic nature and aromatic flavour.
Ever since the entry of domestic and global coffee chains, coffee consumption has seen a sharp rise particularly in the northern and western parts of the country. “The domestic consumption is growing at 5% to 6% and we are looking at new areas to meet the rising demand in the country and abroad,” Akhtar said.
Last week, coffee board has estimated the output for 2013-14 (October-September) at 3.1 lakh tonne, which has shown a reduction of 35,500 tonne or —10.23% over the post-blossom estimates of 2013-14 of 3.4 tonne. The domestic consumption is estimated at 1.08 lakh tonne. Of the total estimate, the break up for Arabica and Robusta is about one lakh tonne and close to 2.1 lakh tonne respectively.
As per estimates, Arabica production may fall 8.11% by 9,000 tonne and Robusta production may fall 11.23% by 26,500 tonne. “In the current season, coffee areas have witnessed a long period of drought after receiving blossom showers, followed by an extremely harsh monsoon,” the board has recently stated in a statement.
Meanwhile, coffee exports rose marginally by nearly 3% to 3.14 lakh tonne in 2013 on back of a sharp jump in re-export of instant coffee, despite sluggish global prices. The country had exported 3.05 lakh tonnes of coffee in 2013, it said in its latest report. "Exports have picked up since October due to stability in global coffee prices," said Jawaid Akhtar.
Highlighting export trends, additional secretary at the commerce ministry JS Deepak said: "Coffee exports performed well in October-December 2013 with a rise of 33% to 60,664 tonne from 45,510 tonne in the same period last year."
Exports of value-added variety and instant coffee type have seen a sharp rise in last few years, thereby, increasing margin and export-value realisation, he added.
Source:financialexpress
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