On Friday, the farm gate price of raw Robusta coffee berries in Wayanad market rises to a record ₹251 a kg, a significant increase from ₹171 a kg during the same period last year.
A farmer at Meenangadi in Wayanad district drying coffee berries. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Robusta coffee farmers in south India are celebrating a bountiful harvest season, with prices reaching new heights. On Friday, the farm gate price of raw Robusta coffee berries in Wayanad market soared to a record ₹251 a kg, a significant increase from ₹171 a kg during the same period last year. This time in 2022, the price was even lower at ₹80 a kg.
Though the harvest is almost over, a shortfall in supply has contributed to the surge in prices, according to market sources. Many farmers are opting to hold onto their produce, anticipating even higher prices in the coming days. Concurrently, the spot price for Robusta coffee beans has risen to ₹450 a kg.
Sources say a sharp decline in Robusta coffee production in Brazil, a leading coffee producer, due to drought-like conditions is also driving up the prices. Reports indicate that Brazil’s coffee stock has plummeted to below two million bags (60 kg each) this year, down from nearly 5.5 million bags last year.
Additionally, the coffee market in Vietnam, another key Robusta producer, has been temporarily closed due to lunar holidays, further tightening supply.
The dearth of rainfall is the major concern of farmers now, especially small-scale coffee farmers, as irrigation facilities are out of their reach. Many farmers living on forest fringes are also grappling with increased wildlife crop raids, posing additional challenges.
In a related development, the price of Arabica coffee seeds has also reached an all-time high at an auction held in Bengaluru, fetching ₹605 a kg, up from ₹456 a kg during the same period last year.
According to the Coffee Board of India’s Post Blossom Estimate, the total coffee production in India for the 2023-2024 fiscal is projected at 3,74,200 tonnes, including 2,61,200 tonnes of Robusta coffee, of which Wayanad contributes 61,050 tonnes.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Kerala / by E M Manoj, Kalpeta / January 31st, 2025
It will be a welcome relief for coffee growers as they are currently bound by international standards.
The certification process involves checking if coffee producers follow guidelines that focus on quality, the environment, and social practices.(Representative image)
Bengaluru :
In a first, the Coffee Board is set to introduce India’s own coffee standards and certification process to recognise the country’s unique coffee varieties.
Coffee standards are rules set to ensure that the produce is grown, processed, and sold in a way that is consistent, of good quality, and enjoyable to drink. These standards cover everything from how coffee is grown and harvested to how it is processed and packed and evaluated for taste and aroma. The certification process involves checking if coffee producers follow guidelines that focus on quality, the environment, and social practices.
Till now, Indian growers were bound by international standards that did not account for the unique conditions in which their coffee thrives, such as cultivation under two-tier thick tree shade.
The board has introduced this plan in response to the high costs of certification, which have hindered many growers from showcasing their coffee internationally. With nearly 85% of Indian coffee remaining uncertified due to lakhs of rupees in costs for international certification, the new Indian standards will come as a welcome relief as certification will now be free, offering a significant opportunity for growers.
Dr KG Jagadeesha, secretary and CEO of the Coffee Board of India, told TNIE that the process is currently in its first stage and aims to position Indian coffee as a unique product with its own distinct identity. “Until now, most coffee varieties have been certified under international standards, which group all types of coffee together under the same conditions. However, Indian coffee is grown in special conditions.
This certification process will recognise and highlight these unique growing conditions, helping Indian coffee stand out and gain its own global recognition,” he said.
Dr Jagadeesha said the cost of certifying, as per international standards even for a small five-acre estate, can range from Rs 3-4 lakh, while board’s certification will be of zero-cost. Growers have to meet strict requirements, filling in various gaps to ensure that their plantations are sustainable.
While experts and a technical core team have finished developing documents, industry professionals are currently drafting the implementation modules, which will be completed in four months, Dr Jagadeesha said.
After this, the technical team will hold consultations with stakeholders and innovative growers to assess whether the procedures are feasible. The process will involve meeting several parameters. Once the estate meets the requirements, an external inspector will visit them for a final assessment.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Bengaluru / by Rishita Khanna / January 03rd, 2024
Coffee Board of India has embarked on a 10-year road map with a target to double the country’s coffee production and coffee exports by 2034, said board chairman M.J. Dinesh on Tuesday (November 19).
“It’s a 10-year mandate starting from 2024 to double our production and also double our exports by 2034. We will also increase the area under production during this period. However, the focus will be on creating best yielding varieties and increasing the production from existing plants through best practices and technology upgradation,” he said.
Addressing coffee growers at the Karnataka Planters’ Association annual conference held here on Tuesday, Mr Dinesh said these activities would include forming 100 FPOs (farmer producer organisations) across the country, of which 60 will be in Karnataka. These FPOs, expected to come up within a year, would create additional momentum for the commodity within the country and in global markets, he anticipated.
What is the offing
He further said that under the 10-year growth plan, the board would also identify 10,000 small coffee farmers who would grow speciality coffee varieties mostly targeted at export markets. “We expect these small farmers to come up with a wide range of speciality varieties that can fetch a premium in the global markets,” he added.
Under the 10-year market expansion plan, the board would also facilitate 10,000 coffee kiosks, mostly managed by women entrepreneurs, to increase the country’s per capita coffee consumption from 107 grams currently to 250 grams in 10 years, he further said.
He also said the board has an ambitious target of nearly trebling the coffee production from 3.7 lakh tonnes in 2024-25 to 9 lakh tonnes by 2047.
Commenting on the possibilities of mechanisation, Mr Dinesh said currently, the growers’ community has been pending a whopping ₹ 1200 crore to ₹ 1300 crore to get the coffee harvested annually through manual labour. This expenditure could be significantly reduced through the use of harvesting machines, and IIT Kharagpur, in collaboration with the Coffee Board, has been working on the prototypes of some such machines.
“Overall, the 10-year plan will certainly give Indian coffees a sizable standing in the global markets. In addition, it will also redefine the coffee landscape of the country,“ he hoped.
KPA chairman K G Rajeev said the grower’s body has made a presentation to the Ministry of Commerce and Industries seeking the inclusion of coffee under PM Fasal Bima Yojana. Presently, coffee farmers are not covered under insurance, while all other plantation crops are covered under insurance. The KPA has also sought assistance from the Govt to promote brand identity for coffee and tea emphasising their quality and unique characteristics. It has also sought exemption or reduction of customs duty on import of agriculture equipment.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by Mini Tejaswi / November 20th, 2024
Shade-grown coffee at a Coffee estate in Kodagu district (Coorg), Karnataka. File | Photo Credit: Murali Kumar K.
India’s major plantation sectors such as rubber and coffee have heaved a sigh of relief as the EU Parliament has voted in favour of a proposal by the European Commission to delay the implementation of EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) allowing growers, exporters and traders additional time for compliance.
Accordingly, large coffee operators and exporters must meet EUDR regulations by December 30, 2025, while micro and small growers and traders have time until June 30, 2026 to comply, as against the earlier EU set mandatory due diligence procedures and compliance deadline of December 2024.
Being EUDR-compliant indicates a grower’s forest-based coffee produce is legal, and not sourced from any deforested land or unethically cultivated.
Notably, over 70% of Indian coffees are sold in EU countries, and therefore the compliance extension has direct implications on coffee players in India, although India was one among the few countries which grew coffee under two tier thick shade of native trees, say industry players. “Our coffee estates, in addition to coffee and shade trees has diverse flora and fauna. So Indian coffees are most sustainably grown.
In spite of that India opposed EUDR since the compliance does not incentivise sustainably grown coffees,” Coffee Board of India CEO and secretary K.G. Jagadeesha told The Hindu. “Now given that EUDR is a regulation already passed by EU, we have no option but to comply as 70% of Indian coffee exported is going to EU. Coffee Board is developing a platform for assisting coffee producers in India to comply with EUDR. We also welcome the EU decision to extend the deadline,” he added. However, the Coffee Board CEO said EUDR compliance burden on planters and growers would be huge as it required technological and financial resources which won’t be compensated.
Expressing similar concerns K.G. Rajeev, chairman, Karnataka Planters’ Association which represent over 70% of coffee growers in the country, said, ‘‘There are challenges in mobilisation of resources to invest by small and medium sized holdings to be EUDR compliant. Also there are elements of ambiguity. Strict enforcement without clarity on methodology to be implemented may not have desired results. All these may have adverse impact on productivity and profitability of the industry.”
According to Mr. Rajeev, EUDR is a regulation with requirements for due diligence and traceability, which needs lot of data to demonstrate compliance both on ground and documentation. He insisted that Indian coffee couldn’t be compared with coffees in any other geographies as it was predominantly grown under shade.
Coffee activities also encouraged preservation of existing forests which in turn provided habitat for variety of wildlife, avian populations and thus promoted natural biodiversity, he argued. Instead of putting the onus of compliance only on growers, industry institutions and government bodies should help in establishing compliance of regulations, he opined, adding, eco-friendly practices with improved soil health and carbon sequestration aligns with EUDR focus of protection of biodiversity and ecosystem.
Postponement of the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation is expected to buoy up the international market for rubber and related products in the short term, said Santosh Kumar, chairman of the Rubber Committee of the United Planters’ Association of Southern India.
“There were ambiguities and concerns in the market. Now that the EUDR will be implemented from 2026, the international market will have a positive impact in the short term,” he said. According to Rubber Board Executive Director M. Vasanthagesan, with the postponement of the regulation by an year, there is more time to prepare the rubber sector. The measures will continue, he added.
The board has entered into an agreement with Hyderabad-based TRST01 as its technology partner to issue due diligence certificates to rubber exporters. “We recently held a stakeholders meeting and will start registering the exporters. We plan to do it in phases, starting with select districts in Kerala. The small-scale exporters will pay an user-fee and register,” he said.
Industry sources said that of the annual production of about 8.5 lakh tonnes of natural rubber, only 4,000 tonnes are exported directly. However, exporters of rubber products will have to source from the growers who are compliant with the EUDR and so the impact will be on the growers.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Business> Industry / by Mini Tejaswi & M Soundariya Preetha / November 17th, 2024
145th Annual General Meeting of the Coorg Planters’ Association held in Madikeri
Madikeri:
The Coffee Board has launched an ambitious initiative to elevate coffee quality across regions by forming community farmer groups at the hobli (village cluster) level. This initiative, announced by Coffee Board CEO and Secretary Dr. K.G. Jagadeesh during the 145th Annual General Meeting of the Coorg Planters’ Association in Madikeri recently, aims to gather insights into coffee quality and apply targeted improvements.
Dr. Jagadeesh highlighted that prioritising quality will ensure a robust future for Indian coffee. Under the initiative, community groups of 100 farmers will be established in each hobli, where collected coffee bean samples will undergo laboratory analysis to determine quality.
Should quality fall short, Coffee Board experts will provide growers with specific guidance on improvement measures, helping them achieve standards that could command higher prices in the international market.
In an effort to attract young talent to coffee farming, the Board also introduced a two-year Coffee Cultivation Diploma. Open to those who have completed the 10th Standard, the diploma programme offers formal training in cultivation and plantation management, addressing the current shortfall of trained supervisory and managerial staff in the industry.
Recognising the expanding demand for skilled café staff, the Board announced plans to offer Barista training for women, youth and enthusiasts. As an estimated 3,000 new coffee cafes are expected to open across India next year, this training will equip individuals to serve plantation visitors and tourists with high-quality coffee..
Tata Coffee Managing Director P.A. Mandanna stressed the importance of sustainable coffee farming, urging growers to embrace environmental, economic and social responsibility. He shared that Tata Coffee has implemented eco-friendly pulpers and rainwater harvesting systems across its estates, which has improved soil fertility and raised groundwater levels.
Experts, including Dr. Raja Vijay Kumar, British agricultural specialist Mark Trisney and K. Sudhindra offered practical demonstrations on various coffee cultivation techniques, providing valuable insights to growers.
Coorg Planters’ Association President A. Nanda Belliappa said that the Association continues to provide essential information to farmers and has actively raised their concerns with the Government.
Other prominent attendees included Association Secretary C.K. Belliappa, Vice-President A.A. Chengappa, Karnataka Coffee Planters’ Association President K.G. Rajeev Ganapathy, former Coffee Board Vice-Presidents N. Bose Mandanna and B.D. Manjunath, among other industry leaders.
The meeting also featured an exhibition and sale of agricultural equipment, drawing significant interest from participants.
This initiative marks a pivotal step by the Coffee Board and industry leaders in strengthening quality and sustainability in Indian coffee farming, aiming to bolster India’s position in the global coffee market.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / November 10th, 2024
Supply issues drive prices higher, shipment volumes drop marginally.
Thanks to the surging trend in global Robusta prices, India’s coffee exports for the financial year ending March 2024 touched a new high in value terms.
Despite a marginal decline in the volumes, shipments were at a new record. In fact, financial year 2023-24 was the third consecutive year during which Indian coffee shipments registered a new record.
In dollar terms, Indian coffee shipments registered an increase of 12.5 per cent to $1.26 billion over $1.12 billion in the 2022-23 fiscal. Similarly in the rupee terms, exports were up 16 per cent at ₹10,491 crore over ₹9,033 crore.
In quantity terms, the exports saw a marginal decline of 2.5 per cent at 3.88 lakh tonnes over 3.98 lakh tonnes in 2022-23.
Supply issues
The global robusta prices are at a three-decade high on supply issues in the top producing countries such as Vietnam and Brazil. This has worked to the advantage of the Indian coffee sector, where robusta is the most widely-produced variety. As a result of high robusta prices, the per unit realisation for Indian exporters went up by about a fifth to ₹2.7 lakh per tonne during 2023-24 compared with ₹2.26 lakh in the previous financial year.
“A combination of factors such as the good market prices for Indian coffee, supply side disruptions in Brazil and Vietnam have helped push up the exports” said K G Jagadeesha, Secretary and CEO, Coffee Board. “Our export quantity in the last three years has increased principally from instant coffee,” he said.
India exports over about two-thirds of the around 3.5 lakh tonnes of coffee produced in the country. It also imports cheaper robusta coffee to re-export them after value addition.
Ramesh Rajah, President, Coffee Exporters Association, said, most of the increase in export value during financial year 2023-24 has come from the robustas. The demand is good and the shipments during the last two quarters of the financial year have been better than the earlier quarters.
Farmgate prices
Farmgate prices of robustas in India have overtaken the arabicas in the recent weeks, tracking the global uptrend. Robusta parchment prices are ruling at ₹14,000-14,500 per 50 kg bag, while the robusta cherry, the widely-produced coffee variety in the country, is ruling at ₹8,500-8,950. Arabica cherry coffee is hovering around ₹8,000-8,300 per bag, while Arabica parchment is ruling at around ₹13,900-14,300.
In fact, Indian robusta parchment AB is commanding a premium of $700-750 a tonne over the London terminal prices, while the premiums for robusta cherry is hovering around $350-400 per tonne.
Italy, Germany, Russia and UAE are among the major destinations for the Indian coffees. For the crop year 2023-24 starting October, the Coffee Board, in its post-blossom estimates, has projected a crop size of 3.74 lakh tonnes over the previous year’s final estimates of 3.52 lakh tonnes.
source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line, The Hindu / Home> Economy> Agri Business / by Vishwanath Kulkarni / April 02nd, 2024
Aimed at coffee enthusiasts, industry professionals, and the general public, IICF will feature speciality coffee stalls, equipment showcases, workshops, competitions, and entertainment.
The Specialty Coffee Association of India (SCAI), in collaboration with the Coffee Board of India, is set to launch the India International Coffee Festival (IICF) in October 2024. Built on the success of the 2023 World Coffee Conference in Bengaluru, which attracted over 2,400 delegates and more than 20,000 visitors, IICF aims to offer an even larger celebration of coffee culture.
The festival will span three major cities, Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, with preliminary events scheduled for Delhi (October 4-6), Mumbai (October 11-13), and Bengaluru (October 28-30). The grand finale will take place in Bengaluru from December 13-15, where India’s national coffee champion will be chosen to represent the country on a global stage.
Aimed at coffee enthusiasts, industry professionals, and the general public, IICF will feature speciality coffee stalls, equipment showcases, workshops, competitions, and entertainment. The event will also include prestigious contests such as the National Barista Championship, the Brewers Cup Championship, and Coffee in Good Spirits, combining coffee and mixology.
SCAI President DM Purnesh expressed excitement, stating, “It gives us immense joy and satisfaction to bring the largest coffee festival to India. The country with an ever growing coffee drinking audience is a very important market for us and India does play a major role in shaping the future of coffee culture. We hope to see connoisseurs and stakeholders coming and spending three fruitful days in these three leading cities of India. Let the festival be a meeting ground of ideas and exchange of creative skills.”
source: http://www.bwhotelier.com / BW Hotelier / Home> F & B / by BW Online Bureau / October 07th, 2024
Kodagu grows coffee across 1197 sq km area and the district contributes to 35 per cent of the country’s coffee production.
Representational Image/ File Photo
Madikeri :
Even as the central government has released Rs 307.80 crore to the Coffee Board of India, funds have been reserved to extend subsidies to the coffee growers. In Kodagu, Rs 19.05 crore fund is reserved for the subsidy scheme and the growers can apply for the same before September 30.
Kodagu grows coffee across 1197 sq km area and the district contributes to 35 per cent of the country’s coffee production. However, the coffee growers in the district, especially the small growers, have become victims of the changing weather patterns and have incurred losses in the past.
While the Coffee Board extended subsidies to the growers through various schemes, the same ended in 2017 due to some financial implications. Nevertheless, the subsidies have resumed from last year.
In 2023-24, the Board extended subsidy for re-plantation of coffee crops and irrigation facilities including the establishment of ring wells, open wells, drip irrigation or sprinklers to all the growers alongside subsidy for construction of drying yard and godown to growers from the SC-ST category. Nevertheless, with more funds being released to the Board this year, additional subsidies are being extended to the growers from the Board.
“This year, a subsidy is being released for machinery purchase and for the establishment of a pulping unit alongside irrigation and re-plantation work. The subsidy for the establishment of a drying yard or godown has been extended to all the growers this year,” confirmed Dr V Chandrashekar, DD (Extension), Madikeri.
Further, with an aim to promote the education of the kids of the coffee labourers and workers, the Board will provide scholarships to the children of coffee labourers and coffee workers. “Scholarships will be extended to the students pursuing first PUC, first-year degree and for professional courses. The students must be children of coffee labourers or coffee workers including kids of labourers in coffee curing works,” he explained.
He added that the Rs 9.5 crore fund is reserved for subsidies for growers from the General category in the South Kodagu Gonikoppal extension. Similarly, Rs 5 lakh has been reserved for SC category growers and Rs 1 crore for ST category growers in the Gonikoppal extension. For North Kodagu growers, Rs 8.5 crore has been reserved for the subsidies. The growers eligible for the subsidies can submit an application to the Board before September 30.
The extension of the subsidy scheme is welcomed by the growers of the district even as Dr Kaverappa, former VP of the Coffee Board, urged the officials to continue the subsidies throughout the year. Meanwhile, the Coffee Board officials are conducting a joint survey alongside revenue and agricultural departments of the crop loss across heavy rainfall areas in the district and a report on the extension of the damage will be submitted to the district administration shortly.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Karnataka / by Prajna G R / August 28th, 2024
The Union Commerce Ministry has announced a significant boost for coffee growerswith a grant of Rs. 307.80 crore.
This aid, channelled through the Coffee Board, aims to provide much-needed support to the coffee industry in the region. It will provide coffee planters with access to subsidies for plantation development.
According to Coffee Board President Dinesh Devabrinda, the grant has increased by 36 percent compared to the previous year. In 2022-23, Rs. 228.23 crore was allocated, while in 2023-24, the amount was raised to Rs. 307.80 crore.
Package highlights
Key highlights of the aid package include subsidies for machinery and infrastructure, an education fund for workers’ children and support for coffee community initiatives.
Dinesh Devabrinda said that the eligibility criteria for subsidies have been expanded, raising the limit from 10 hectares to 40 hectares.
Coffee planters can now receive subsidies for a range of purposes, including the development of drying yards, warehouses, pulper units and coffee bean drying machines. Additionally, subsidies are available for establishing open wells, constructing tanks, installing sprinkler and drip irrigation systems, and upgrading machinery in coffee curing units.
“Our goal is to support growers by providing subsidies to increase the quantity and quality of coffee produced,” he said.
Damage survey
In collaboration with the Revenue Department, the Coffee Board will conduct a survey to assess damage to coffee plantations, with compensation to be provided to those with damage exceeding 33 percent.
To improve education for the children of coffee plantation workers, the Government has allocated Rs. 4 crore for scholarships. Additionally, 17 committees have been formed following the recent coffee community meeting to explore ways to increase coffee production.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / August 27th, 2024
The five-day Barista training workshop, organised by the Coffee Quality Division of Coffee Board of India in collaboration with CFTRI, Mysuru, will be held from June 24 to 28 at the BioNEST Incubation Centre at CFTRI premises in city.
Training in brewing coffee, cupping, manual brewing, signature beverage, introduction to green coffee etc., will be conducted.
Those who undergo the training successfully will be provided certificates.
For details and registration, call Mob: 94821-57878 or e-mail: baristatraining.coffeeboard@gmail.com
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> In Briefs / June 04th, 2024
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