The India Coffee Board, which released its post-blossom crop forecast for the crop year, said Arabica production is expected to be higher by 7,500 tonnes (8.11 per cent) and robusta production by 23,500 tonnes (13.86 per cent) over the post monsoon forecast of 2007-08.
The production gain has mainly come from Karnataka, to the tune of 73 per cent (22,595 tonnes), followed by Kerala, 26 per cent (8,200 tonnes), and non-traditional areas 5 per cent (1,680 tonnes). However, in Tamil Nadu, there is a production loss of 5 per cent (1,475 tonnes).
In Karnataka, the increase in production is more pronounced in the district of Hassan, with 46.28 per cent (8,875 tonnes), followed by Chikmagalur 12.64 per cent (8,050 tonnes) and Kodagu 5.22 per cent (5,670 tonnes).
Between Arabica and Robusta, the increase is more in Robusta in all the three districts.
The Robusta production increased by 59 per cent in Hassan followed by 20 per cent in Chikmagalur and 7.21 per cent in Kodagu district. In Arabica, the increase is in Hassan (40 per cent) and Chikmagalur (7 per cent) while in Kodagu there was a marginal decline of 1.5 per cent.
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Kerala coffee zones have also received adequate and timely blossom and backing showers.
No adverse effect was reported in the crop, especially in the coffee-growing districts of Wayanad and Travancore, though there is a marginal decline in Nelliampathies. Taking this into account, this the post blossom estimates for the 2008-09 is placed at 57,200 tonnes, which is an increase of 16.73 per cent over the previous 2007-08 post monsoon forecast.
Unlike other two traditional coffee growing states, Tamil Nadu, had shown a decline in crop during the current season mainly because of the biennial bearing nature of Arabica. Further, continuous rains during the period from December 2007 to March 2008, coupled with low temperatures, resulted in poor and unhealthy blossom.
The post-blossom forecast of Tamil Nadu, thus, is placed at 16,625 tonnes, down 8.15 per cent from the previous post-monsoon forecast of 18,100 tonnes.
In non-traditional areas of Andhra Pradesh and Orissa and North-Eastern region, the post-blossom forecast is placed at 5,005 tonnes against the previous post-monsoon estimate of 3,325 tonnes. The increase is mainly from Andhra Pradesh and Orissa (53.7 per cent).