Coffee output estimates for current year lowered by 4%

Incidence of diseases caused by heavy rains is feared to have taken its toll on India's coffee production this year, with estimates being revised downward by 4.09 per cent to 2,88,000 tonne in the post-monsoon forecast.

The Coffee Board has pegged the post-monsoon forecast of production during 2006-07 at 2,88,000 tonne compared to post- blossom estimate of 3,00,300 tonne released in July this year.

The Coffee year runs from October to September. According to an industry expert, heavy rains coupled with diseases such as stock rot and black rot in coffee plants has forced a downward forecast of output. While the post-monsoon estimate for Arabica output has been brought down to 99,700 tonne from 1,03,700 tonne, the production of robusta is seen at 1,88,300 tonne, lower than post-blossom forecast of 1,96,600 tonne.

Production in Karnataka, which is the main coffee-growing state, has been revised downward by 8,975 tonne. Coffee output in the state is pegged at 2,06,025 tonne in post-monsoon forecast, against 2,15,000 tonne in post-blossom forecast.

Production for Arabica in Karnataka has been cut down to 80,250 tonne in the post-monsoon forecast from 83,000 tonne during the post-blossom projection, while output of robusta has been reduced to 1,25,775 tonne from 1,32,000 tonne.

In Kerala, the post-monsoon forecast of coffee production has been reduced to 59,475 tonne from 61,200 tonne of post- blossom projection. While production of Arabica in Kerala is pegged at 1,375 tonne in post-monsoon forecast from the earlier 1,450 tonne, the Robusta output is seen at 58,100 tonne compared to 59,750 tonne in post-blossom forecast. Coffee production in Tamil Nadu has been revised downward to 18,225 tonne from 19,700 tonne.

While Arabica output in the state is estimated at 13,950 tonne in post-monsoon forecast as against 14,925 tonne earlier, production of robusta has been revised downward to 4,275 tonne from 4,775 tonne.

In non-traditional areas such as Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and north-eastern region, overall coffee production is now estimated at 4,275 tonne from 4,400 tonne a few months ago.

The estimate for Arabica production in these areas has been lowered to 4,125 tonne from 4,325 tonne earlier. However, the Robusta output is likely to double at 150 tonne from 75 tonne, according to Coffee Board's post monsoon estimates.