As on June 1, of the total 110,796 tonnes permitted to be exported, arabica parchment constituted 23,798 tonnes (16,316 tonnes last year), arabica cherry 4,829 tonnes (6,617 tonnes), robusta parchment 9,757 tonnes (10,802 tonnes), robusta cherry 46,230 tonnes (46,144 tonnes) and instant coffee 26,182 tonnes (27,091 tonnes). Provisional re-exports stood at 11,191 tonnes as against 6,023 tonnes in the same period last year.
Coffee exports peaked in May as exporters rushed to honour their commitments. Allana Sons, Madhu Jayanti, Amalgamated Bean Coffee Trading Company, SLN Coffee and Ned Coffee were active and the major exporters.
"For the first time since 1996-97, the price of robusta parchment has gone above the arabica parchment price. Currently, robusta parchment is trading at Rs 5,125 (for 50 kg bag) and arabica parchment is quoted at Rs 5,000," said B L Harish, proprietor of Blan Coffee, Kushalnagar.
Among the buyers of Indian coffee, Italy continues to be the top importer buying 28,225.30 tonnes in the period, followed by Russia (9,204.90 tonnes), Germany (8,325 tonnes), Belgium (6,919.90 tonnes), Spain (4,768.50 tonnes), Finland (3,541.4 tonnes), Croatia (2,899.20 tonnes), Jordan (2,896.5 tonnes), Kuwait (2,667.9 tonnes) and Slovenia (2,428.20 tonnes).
According to International Coffee Organisation (ICO), global exports in the first-seven months of coffee year 2007-08 (October 2007 to April 2008) have decreased by 4 per cent to 54.9 million bags compared to 57.2 million bags in the same period in the last coffee year.
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In the 12 months ending April 2008, exports of arabica totalled 62.9 million bags compared to 63.6 million bags last year, whereas robusta exports amounted to 32.4 million bags.