Speciality coffee exports up 13%

Exports of speciality and value added coffee from India have gone up 12.94 per cent in the coffee year (October-September) 2006-07 at 68,927 tonnes compared to 61,028 tonnes during the previous crop year (2005-06).

In value terms, it is up 26.82 per cent at Rs 648.05 crore as against Rs 510.99 crore in the previous year. Monsooned Coffee - both Arabica and Robusta - and Mysore Nuggets, are being exported to European countries and the US.

Monsooned Coffee is derived from whole crop cherry coffee beans exposed to moisture-laden winds of the southwest monsoon coupled with a series of manual processing.

This coffee has soft and mellow characteristics. Two most popular grades in monsooned coffee are Monsooned Malabar AA and Monsooned Robusta AA.

The Mysore Nuggets represent high grown washed Arabica A grade coffee having uniform size of 7.5 mm with no defects. The flavour includes mild chocolate or spice combined with a full aroma. It is prepared from beans grown in Mysore, Kodagu, Baba Budan (Chikmagalur), Biligiris and Shevaroys (Tamil Nadu).

"Exports of speciality coffee are on the rise. We expect to gain as more number of countries are preferring speciality coffees," said K D Thimmaiah, Deputy General Manager, Aspinwall & Company.

Aspinwall is the largest exporter of Monsooned Coffees from India. In 2006 crop year, it exported around 2,500 tonnes and is expected to touch 3,000 level this crop year.

"In addition to exports, the Speciality Coffee Association of India, by organising Barista championship in the country, is trying to make speciality and estate origin coffee popular," said K Kurian, member, Speciality Coffee Association of India.

According to Coffee Board statistics, as on September 15, 2007, a total of 6,1618.20 tonnes were permitted to export.

The speciality coffee constituted 7,730.70 tonnes while value added coffee was 53,887.50 tonnes.

Of the 7730.70 tonnes exported, Mysore Nuggets EB was 982.2 tonnes (last year 1,256.5 tonnes), Monsooned Malabar AA 2,385.8 tonnes (2,688.7 tonnes), Monsooned Robusta AA 1536.4 tonnes (1,210.4 tonnes), Monsooned Arabica Triage 30 tonnes (69 tonnes), Monsooned Robusta Triage 15 tonnes (60 tonnes), Monsooned Basanally 309.9 tonnes (257 tonnes), Robusta Kapi Royale 2471.4 tonnes (4286.10 tonnes).

Among the value added coffees, instant coffees comprised the bulk at 53,545.20 tonnes, ground (powder) 271.50 tonnes and roasted coffees 70.80 tonnes.