MILAN – Coffee production in India may fall to its lowest levels in eight year in CY 2017/18, according to a senior official one of the country’s top industry bodies.
Low rainfall and drought conditions in the main coffee regions hit the development of crops and encouraged the spread of plant-consuming pests.
“This year we got lower rainfall than usual,” said MM Chengappa, chairman of Karnataka Planters’ Association (KPA), forecasting the country’s production could fall to around 300,000 tonnes in 2017/18 year starting from October 1.
That would be down 5.3 percent from a year ago and the lowest since 2009/10.
The southern state of Karnataka’s Kodagu, Chikmagalur and Hassan districts, account for two-third of India’s total coffee production. They have received a third weaker rainfall than usual since the start of monsoon season on June 1.
“Drought and sunshine increased infestation of the white stem borer pest,” Chengappa told Reuters, referring to a beetle that can attack plants growing arabica beans.
The country’s arabica output could drop to 90,000 tonnes in the 2017/18 marketing season, from 96,200 tonnes the year before, he said.
Robusta output could fall to 210,000 tonnes, from 220,500 tonnes this year, Chengappa added.
Robusta planting was hit by lower rainfall during the key flowering stage in March and now poor monsoon rains could delay development of the crop, said Anil Kumar Bhandari, a large-scale planter.
