India's coffee exports fell by four per cent to 2.75 lakh tonnes so far this year due to volatile global prices, according to the Coffee Board.
The country had exported 2.88 lakh tonnes of coffee in the same period of 2013 calendar year.
Total coffee exports in the previous year stood at 3.12 lakh tonnes.
"Exports so far are slightly lower than the year-ago period because of extremely volatile global prices following production concerns in Brazil," a senior Coffee Board official told PTI.
Indian exporters are not able to take trade decision as international coffee prices have been volatile since the beginning of this year, he added.
In terms of value, the country exported coffee worth Rs 4,549 crore so far this year, as against Rs 4,317 crore in the same period of corresponding year.
Thanks to better prices, the export realisation remained higher at Rs 1,64,827 per tonne so far this year, compared with Rs 1,49,895 crore in the year-ago, the Board said.
Of total coffee exports, the shipment of robusta variety declined by 17 per cent to 1.27 lakh tonnes till November 21 of the current calendar year from 1.54 lakh tonnes in the year-ago period, as per Board data.
However, the shipment of arabica variety rose by 40 per cent to 57,495 tonnes from 41,146 tonnes, while export of instant coffee too increased sharply by 88 per cent to 43,450 tonnes from 23,126 tonnes in the review period.
Maximum exports were to Italy at 64,883 tonne, Germany at 28,538 tonne, Russia at 19, 434 tonne and Turkey at 13,413 tonne in the said period.
India's coffee production is estimated higher at 3.44 lakh tonnes for this year. Harvesting of the crop has begun in some states.
