Post monsoon coffee output estimate 16% lower than earlier one
Kochi: Coffee Board’s post monsoon data of coffee production has projected around 16% fall in total output for 2018-19 from its earlier estimate ,after the damage caused by heavy rains.
The new coffee production estimate for 2018-19 is 3,19,500 tonnes comprising 95,000 tonnes of arabica and 2,24,500 tonnes of robusta. There is an overall decline of 60,500 tonnes (-15.92%) over the post blossom estimate of 2018-19 (3,80,000 tonnes). The projected fall in arabica is 15,000 tonnes while in robusta it is 45,500 tonnes.
However, when compared to the final crop of 2017-18 which was 316,000 tonnes, the post monsoon estimate of 2018-19 has shown a marginal increase of 3500 tonnes mainly contributed by increase in robusta, according to a statement by the board.
Among the states, major reduction in crop is reported from Karnataka. The post monsoon estimate for Karnataka is placed at 2,19,550 tonnes recording overall decrease of 48,250 tonnes over the post-blossom estimate.
Among the major coffee growing districts in Karnataka, the major loss of about 25,020 tonnes is reported from Kodagu district followed by Chikkamagaluru district 17,250 tonnes and Hassan district 5,980 tonnes.
In Kerala, which is a mainly robusta coffee producing region, the post monsoon estimate of 2018-19 is placed at 70,435 tonnes with a decline of 10,215 tonnes over the post blossom estimate.
The initial crop set was good in Karnataka and Kerala with record post blossom stage estimate of over 3,80,000 tonnes. But from early July, 2018 onwards, continuous heavy rainfall with severe intensity was witnessed especially in coffee areas of Karnataka and Kerala. More importantly, severe to very severe rainfall occurred during the month of August 2018 in the coffee growing districts of Karnataka and Kerala, especially in the heavy rainfall zones, leading to substantial crop losses, flooding and landslides.
Source:PTI
